UK tells blind Nigerian pensioner to go home to India
Woman who has lived in UK for 26 years refused indefinite leave to remain under Home Office’s new settlement rules A blind Nigerian pensioner who has lived in the UK for 26 years has been told by the Home Office she can safely “go home” to India. Comfort*, 67, arrived in the UK in 2000, and shortly after suddenly went blind due to acute glaucoma. Continue reading...
A Nigerian pensioner, Comfort*, who has resided in the UK for 26 years, has been informed by the Home Office to return to India. Upon arrival in the UK in 2000, she suddenly lost her sight due to acute glaucoma. After 20 years of living in the UK, she was granted leave to stay under long residence rules. However, under the new settlement rules introduced, she may need to renew her visa for the next 20 years until she turns 80 to be eligible for indefinite leave to remain.
Due to her age and disability, her lawyers applied to the Home Office for immediate indefinite leave to remain, but their request was denied. The Home Office suggested she could return to India, citing services for the blind there. However, they clarified that her situation was not severe enough to warrant indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Various migrant rights' groups have expressed concern over the extended waiting period for settlement. Comfort, a devout citizen and volunteer, is disappointed about the long wait. Her case highlights the disparity in service provision between India and Nigeria. The Home Office has promised to issue an updated letter to Comfort.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
