A blind Nigerian woman who has lived in the UK for 26 years has been told by the Home Office to go to India for medical treatment, despite never having visited the country.
The woman, 67, whose name has been changed to Comfort in articles for legal reasons, arrived in Britain in 2000 and lost her sight shortly afterwards after developing acute glaucoma.
She was granted permission to remain in the UK in 2022 under long residence rules, having lived here for 20 years.
However, under new settlement rules announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, she could now face another 20 years of visa renewals before becoming eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain.
Lawyers supporting Comfort at Migrant and Refugee Justice applied for her to be granted indefinite leave to remain early, citing her age and disability.
There are provisions allowing applications to be fast-tracked in exceptional circumstances.
But the Home Office rejected her application, initially suggesting she could return to Nigeria because services for blind people were available there, the Guardian has reported.
The refusal letter then stated: ‘Your circumstances are not so severe or lacking in potential treatment in India that it would warrant indefinite leave to remain in this case.’
Comfort said she was ‘very disheartened’ at the prospect of having to wait almost another two decades for permanent settlement.
She told the publication: ‘I have been living in this country for 26 years. I have found my home here and settled well. I have my friends, my church and do voluntary work.
‘I’m a good citizen, not a law-breaker and am begging the Home Office to have mercy on me and grant me indefinite leave to remain now, rather than making me wait 20 more years.
‘I don’t know why the Home Office said I could go back to India. It’s a country I have never visited and have no connection with.’
Nick Beales, head of campaigning at Migrant and Refugee Justice, said: ‘This woman is blind, in her late 60s and has lived in the UK for a quarter of a century. She meets the rules to remain here and there is no public interest in making her continue to renew her visa.
‘Rather than viewing these vulnerable people as human beings, the government is fixated on appearing tough.
‘Shabana Mahmood’s plans to double settlement routes will clearly make these problems even worse, especially as her decision-makers cannot even differentiate between India and Nigeria.’
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘We do not routinely comment on individual cases. All applications for permission to stay in the UK are carefully considered on their individual merits, in line with the immigration rules and based on the information and evidence provided by the applicant.’
Metro has contacted the Home Office for comment.
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