Nelson Shardey

If he was younger I’d think he should be deported

Yes, it is harsh Callistemon but I’m not suggesting he be deported now, at the age of seventy. I don’t think he is entirely innocent in all this, because he knew enough to apply for a visa, but having lived here since 1979 and worked all that time (apparently he couldn’t afford his course when his parents couldn’t afford to give him the money after the coup in his home country) and having made a family in this country, then I think he should be allowed to stay, and he shouldn’t have to wait ten years for citizenship. Or pay for NHS treatment. I thought deportation would have been appropriate when he was younger, but not now.

(apparently he couldn’t afford his course when his parents couldn’t afford to give him the money after the coup in his home country)
As he had a working student Visa he was able to work while he was a student.

He should have applied for leave to stay when he married a British woman but perhaps assumed (wrongly) that doing so gave him the right to remain here.

No, I don't think he should have been deported when he was younger; I think he should have been told that he needed to apply for British citizenship.

I'm astonished that not one person in authority picked up on this years ago. If he is to blame for his own oversight, then they are culpable too.

I'd rather he was given British citizenship than many others I could think of.

maddyone

Surely that’s the fault of the Local Authority that took responsibility for her at the point when she was fostered. They should have ensured she had the correct paperwork (whatever the correct paperwork is in such a case.)

You'd think so, wouldn't you.

She had a brother and sister who were fostered here, too, her brother in the same home as her, and her sister, with her foster mums sister.
I've no idea what went wrong.

LizzieDrip

FFS GSM reading your posts on this thread I’m beginning to wonder if you’re a robot. Where is your compassion!

My compassion is alive and well. Mainly reserved for animals who can’t speak for themselves.
As they say, the more I see of people …

As I said, I’m not suggesting this man be deported now though, so it matters not what any of us think about what happened or didn’t happen years ago. He should be given indefinite leave to remain or citizenship in my opinion. We’ve given leave to remain to many who have turned out to not deserve our sympathy, but he does at this stage in his life.

Given his age and history (he's contributed so much) it should be fast forwarded.
Be given Indefinite leave to Remain whilst sorted.

MissA at least your friend can now alert her brother and sister that they need to get their paperwork sorted out now. Did your friend manage to sort things out for herself? Children cannot be expected to sort out these things and it seems the LA let them down badly.

Yes, she did get it sorted, and had to go to a strange office type hearing, where she swore allegiance to the queen out loud, and signed documents.

Strange stuff.

Swear allegiance to the Queen.
It is indeed strange stuff.

MissAdventure

Yes, she did get it sorted, and had to go to a strange office type hearing, where she swore allegiance to the queen out loud, and signed documents.

Strange stuff.

Here is the Australian oath when becoming an Australian citizen:

Responsibilities
As an Australian citizen you must:
• obey the laws and fulfil your duties as an Australian citizen
• vote in federal and state or territory government elections, and in a referendum
• serve on a jury if called to do so
• defend Australia should the need arise.

Oh, it must be more common than I thought then.
Not that I've ever thought of it, really.

What this boils down to is an immigration and checking service re visas that is not fit for purpose, and hasn't been for the last 50 years. No one who has a visa, and you still need one from Ghana, and doesn't know it hen it runs out, I would call a bender of the truth. Does he admit to his own failings in this. Guess not. It is anyone's responsibility when they move to another country, to keep your immigration status legal . He's been lucky , so far. Leave to remain, maybe. Not citizenship, that is by the backdoor, and would be dishonestly obtained, and a slap in the face to such as my neighbour who has gone through all the legalities.

Freya5

What this boils down to is an immigration and checking service re visas that is not fit for purpose, and hasn't been for the last 50 years. No one who has a visa, and you still need one from Ghana, and doesn't know it hen it runs out, I would call a bender of the truth. Does he admit to his own failings in this. Guess not. It is anyone's responsibility when they move to another country, to keep your immigration status legal . He's been lucky , so far. Leave to remain, maybe. Not citizenship, that is by the backdoor, and would be dishonestly obtained, and a slap in the face to such as my neighbour who has gone through all the legalities.

Why?? Why would it be a slap in the face of someone who has “gone through all the legalities”. He’d still have to go through the process. It’s a nonsense this case and shows just how inept our authorities are. Why, when he was issues with an NI weren’t the appropriate checks done prior to issuing it and he told that if he was planning on staying he needed to apply for citizenship?? The salient point here is you DON’T have to be a British Citizen or have a British passport to live and work here. My Irish husband has NEVER (and never will have) a British passport. He’s now retired and has lived here since he was 5!

His visa allowed him to study and work - hence he was given NI number, without which he could not have worked.

Cossy

Freya5

What this boils down to is an immigration and checking service re visas that is not fit for purpose, and hasn't been for the last 50 years. No one who has a visa, and you still need one from Ghana, and doesn't know it hen it runs out, I would call a bender of the truth. Does he admit to his own failings in this. Guess not. It is anyone's responsibility when they move to another country, to keep your immigration status legal . He's been lucky , so far. Leave to remain, maybe. Not citizenship, that is by the backdoor, and would be dishonestly obtained, and a slap in the face to such as my neighbour who has gone through all the legalities.

Why?? Why would it be a slap in the face of someone who has “gone through all the legalities”. He’d still have to go through the process. It’s a nonsense this case and shows just how inept our authorities are. Why, when he was issues with an NI weren’t the appropriate checks done prior to issuing it and he told that if he was planning on staying he needed to apply for citizenship?? The salient point here is you DON’T have to be a British Citizen or have a British passport to live and work here. My Irish husband has NEVER (and never will have) a British passport. He’s now retired and has lived here since he was 5!

I said they were inept, didn't you read it. Why didnt he take some responsibility, his Insurance no, that's why our
system is inept, too easy for someone to lie about status.
Not sure what you know about our history, but the CTA between the UK and Ireland has been in use since 1922. Reaffirmed in 2019. So there is no problem with Irish citizens being here is there. So your husband is here legally. We have no such arrangements with Ghana. You always have needed a visa. Why the side remark about the British passport.

He was entitled to get a NI number as his visa enabled him to study and to work. What he was not entitled to do was ignore the expiry date and act as though he had every right to be here - which he did not. Had he applied for leave to stay before the visa expired it might have been granted, but he didn’t and now blames the system rather than himself. He is the author of his own misfortune. He was only caught when he applied for a passport.

Germanshepherdsmum

His visa allowed him to study and work - hence he was given NI number, without which he could not have worked.

Ah, thanks, yes that makes complete sense. How long would his visa have lasted then and surely once it ran out how did he continue to gain employment?

‘Caught’ seems to add a harsh dimension. The evidence is that this was a genuine oversight / failure to follow the correct procedure. Agree that it was no one’s fault but his own but we need not imply that he’s a petty criminal.

I agree with those asking for an exception to be made in this sad case.

winterwhite

‘Caught’ seems to add a harsh dimension. The evidence is that this was a genuine oversight / failure to follow the correct procedure. Agree that it was no one’s fault but his own but we need not imply that he’s a petty criminal.

I agree with those asking for an exception to be made in this sad case.

Agree that it was no one’s fault but his own but we need not imply that he’s a petty criminal.

Absolutely, winterwhite.

It might well not have been deliberate; it was, I believe, an oversight or a wrong assumption on his part.
He has proved himself to be the kind of person Britain should welcome here and yes, an exception to the rules should be made asap.

I don’t believe it was an oversight or a wrong assumption. He was receiving funding from family in Ghana until a coup brought this to an end. Which of the various coups that was I don’t know, but at that point he likely decided not to return home. He is not a stupid man. This would not be an oversight such as forgetting a birthday. He had applied for a visa to come to this country and he knew it was time-limited. He was not a forgetful old man then. He applied for a passport in 2019 and was told why he was not eligible for one. It’s now 2024. I don’t believe in making exceptions because that is how precedents are set.

I believe, because the Home Office has made a complete mess of his case, including giving him completely wrong information for 18 months, they are equally to blame.

Because of this and the fact he has proved himself over and again as a good member of society, then his application should be expedited and granted forthwith.

And will the floodgates open? He is by no means unique.

The HO may have made mistakes - he did not, in my opinion. He intentionally stayed here and as I have already said he has fathered four children here who have had the benefit of family allowance, healthcare and education.

Rules are there to be followed, not bent.

Floodgates?

This is how the media feed into our national obsession with the 'other,' taking over our country.

This is how people believe things they read in the media without looking below the surface to see the manipulation.

What does anyone need to fear from giving this man citizenship?

Absolutely nothing.

Precedent.

And will the floodgates open? He is by no means unique

Oh here we go … ‘the floodgates’! GSM how do you know he’s not unique - do you have knowledge of others in the same situation?