HKG3

An UK immigration related article from BBC News website -

Woman faces deportation after 27 years - BBC News

Pulaski

"These kind of bureaucratic decisions are a direct result of .... "

.... people not following the rules and completing the right paperwork. The results seem harsh, but if everyone flouted the rules there'd be complete chaos. There seems little doubt that there are several routes the woman could have taken that would mean she was legally living in the UK, not least she could have obtained British citizenship, likely more than 20 years ago, but she "did her own thing" and is now in a bit of a pickle.

HKG3

I think the main reason why Mrs Clennel did not take up British Citizenship is that Singapore does not allow dual nationality for its citizens. This means that she cannot become a British Citizen without losing her own Singaporean citizenship.

Pulaski

Right, I know, but she has had 27 years to decide where the main centre of her life is, and she hasn't completed the right paperwork. ..... And there are alternatives to taking British citizenship, not least, in her position, to start over and apply for a visa, as it appears she was admitted as a visitor, and then did nothing! She has no one to blame but herself!

michali

Reading this story on a few newspapers, it seems she lost her ILR having been out of the country for more than two years, but was given leave to remain again in 2008 (according to the Mirror) not sure how she lost that again! It does seem tough but many of us have been there! My husband lost his ILR for the same reason and we had to go through the whole process again, this time being much more difficult with the new rules. But it is as it is. We make our decisions and have to take the consequences.

Thairetired2016

She wanted the best of both worlds. Otherwise she would have applied for citizenship long ago. Many Singaporeans regret at one point or another that they gave up citizenship. It is very difficult to get it back. Singapore evaluates every case on its merit just like U.K. does now with Ms Clennell.
I have a friend who has been living in Germany for 30 years. He is still Singaporean just like his daughter who was born in Germany. They know why they will not give up being Singaporean.

Pollyana

She didn't HAVE to take UK citizenship though. If she wanted to stay Singaporean she could still have lived in the UK quite legally and could have carried on living there.

She just needed to read the visa rues that applied to her, and abide by them. Its not difficult, any of us who decide to live abroad are responsible for sticking to the relevant rules, and although there are some cases where the rules change and people get caught out unwittingly, in this case the rules were quite clear, she spent too long outside of the country and when she came back she didn't bother to rectify the situation.
She had the choice, and she choose to break the rules, so I really have no sympathy for her now. Go back to Singapore and apply to come back the correct way, like everyone else has to.

BritInParis

Disappointing to see the BBC lead with such a misleading headline - she hasn't spent the last 27 years in the UK, rather she has been married to a British man since 1990, which is meaningless in immigration terms. Even the Daily Mail got their headline correct. The article also fails to mention she spent several extended periods in Singapore during this time, including a five year period, abandoning her ILR status. A quote from the Daily Mail article is telling: 'I understand not everyone can come into the UK and stay, but surely I should be treated differently.'

Pollyana

And what makes her so special I wonder.....

Novocastrian

She's the only Singaporean in the Village.

Pollyana

Thairetired2016

As a Singaporean she should be used to obey the law. What makes her think in other countries the rule of law doesn't apply to her?

spouse of scouse

She's in immigration detention awaiting deportation, so I think she gets it now.

Davita

Same principle elsewhere.
My Indonesian wife gave up her RI citizenship to become Canadian as we lived there for over 20 years.
We have now returned to live in Bali and she has to get a visa just like I do. She is seen as a foreigner in her own country and, if she didn't comply with visa rules, like taking up employment or letting her visa expire, she would also be detained and deported.
We are careful to comply with all rules...same as this lady should have done.

HKG3

I don't think it is that hard to resume British Citizenship. Many people asked about getting their British Citizenship back in this forum and no one return to the forum (recently) with a refusal from the Home Office.