BritInParis

He arrived in the back of a lorry and spent two years awaiting a decision on his asylum application before he was arrested. Not exactly 'whisked' through the immigration system.

Pollyana

Because then where do you stop? Allow in all the spouses and children of British citizens who currently can't move because their partner's income is too low? Allow parents of British citizens who can no longer afford to support themselves in poorer countries? The possibilities could be endless......

BritInParis

If empathy is the determining factor then there's probably a couple of billion you could nominate.

Yorkiechef

I know someone in a similar set of circumstances that came back only for his medical needs, cataracts needed doing and one hip followed by the other hip, pace maker fitting.....I don't know what is due next, all paid for by today's taxpayer, just because he paid tax thirty years ago, it doesn't entitle them to a lifetime of medical vacations at uk tax payer expense.

We don't know the exact detail of this ladies circumstance, perhaps similar? I doubt we will ever know, medical in confidence and all that...

Pollyana

Exactly. And then people would start to whinge about unctrolled immigration and want the rules to be stricter

Shakyuk

A sad case, I can understand she may not go home. But thousands of students/rejected refugee's also don't go home.


I'm all for control, but she's an 83 year old lady wanting to visit her family, she's put 30 years into the lives of British citizens. Sometimes there is an exception to the rule, but I can also appreciate wherever there is an exception, there is someone willing to profit from abusing it. It's difficult but she should be allowed her visit.

Former Lancastrian

So how about this idea.
Now that the visa office overseas now knows that this has hit by now world media headlines issue the visa and flag her entry. On arrival in the UK she is put on Terms & Conditions with a cash bond being made. Depending on the length of the visit she reports to the UK authorities once a month, provide a UK address and contact number where she will be staying and needs her departure confirming.
If she complies then no problem.
If she fails to comply then an arrest warrant would be issued.
Simples oh but I forgot I work for the Canadian authorities who at the 1st sign of this bad press would issue the visa and have no terms and conditions although Canadians at times can be very bureaucratic.

Shakyuk

That is a good idea. Perhaps making the family liable for her whereabouts would also be a good idea. So they get X fine if she disappears. Making the family accountable would actually be a good idea in many of these cases where family members go 'missing'.


That way legitimate cases get the approvals and it takes some burden off the tax payer.

Former Lancastrian

You do realize that I am one of those lazy, overpaid, under skilled, undereducated underworked, non smiling, bureaucratic and golden pension receiving Government worker don't you?

Shakyuk

I do indeed... any jobs going?

Garbatellamike

In fairness, we don't think you are overpaid

Gozit

I agree with those saying she should be let in...but my question for all of these cases like this is - why didn't she get citizenship when she lived in GB? That would make it so much easier but instead she lives in UK for 30+ years and doesn't get citizenship? Just doesn't make sense.

BristolUK

It sounds like she didn't need it at the time of living therewith her British Commonwealth Passport. Then when she left, if she's only going back for visits she wouldn't need it then either.

Of course it's similar now to people returning to the UK being advised to get citizenship of wherever they're leaving, just to keep options open for the future.
But it's the information super highway (when did you last hear that description ) that enables people to find this stuff out now and this sort of knowledge wasn't so readily available back then.

BritInParis

Holding a 'British Commonwealth' passport doesn't allow you to live in the UK and whoever wrote that article either doesn't know what she's writing about or is dumbing it down so much as to become nonsensical.

That is true and given that the lady only states she wishes to visit then becoming a citizen would not be necessary. There's evidently a lot more going on than the one-sided version we're getting from her solicitor.

BristolUK

I'm not really suggesting it did. I have no idea in the same way I'm suggesting she probably had no idea. I'm looking at it from her point of view that she was apparently living in the UK legally, with no issues at all and then when she leaves, only intending to return as a visitor, she would (in her eyes) continue to have no reason to apply for other status.

If she had every reason to think she was legitimate - and it sounds like she does (working for the NHS and all) - why would she think she had any reason to do something like apply for a classification that enabled her to carry on doing what she was doing?

I'm just giving a possible answer to Gozit.