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Original poster

Sky News segment on visa overstayers tonight

181 replies

icannotbelievethis · 11/12/2025 22:29

One woman who came here on a 3 month visitor visa 12 years ago, who is a “full time carer” for her sister.

One man who came here on a student visa which was then cancelled because he stopped attending his lectures, who has been here illegally for two years and works cash in hand. Therefore not paying tax or national insurance.

Wtf?! Why did Sky News interview them (and no doubt pay them!) and not turn up with the border force to get them sent home?! This is baffling

OP posts:
Ginmonkeyagain · 14/12/2025 07:20

I remember reading somewhere the biggest group of visa overstayers are Australians, not sure if that is still true. The HO do do raids. I live in South London and Border Force raids of shops and restaurants do happen.

Jumpers4goalposts · 14/12/2025 07:08

Kendodd · 13/12/2025 23:07

Except were they all shams?
I also know two couples who married ONLY for immigration purposes. Both were genuine couples but neither would have married (and were clear about this) if they didn't feel they had to to stay in the country. Both couples went on to have two children one divorced after about 20 years the other couple are still together. They 100% say wouldn't have married if they didn't have to but they weren't sham marriages.

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Totally agree with this I had a friend who married his gf because her visa had run out they had only been together for 3 months and at that point got married just so she could stay, but they were in love. It must be 25 years now of happy marriage. They were meant to be together but probably would not have done it so quicky if they felt they had options.

Jumpers4goalposts · 14/12/2025 07:06

OrwellianTimes · 13/12/2025 23:43

I’ve personally known 3 people who deliberately overstayed their visa. I know because they were very outraged when they all got in trouble.

They were all Americans. Two students one professional.

Not sure the OP minds about the American overstayers.

OrwellianTimes · 13/12/2025 23:43

I’ve personally known 3 people who deliberately overstayed their visa. I know because they were very outraged when they all got in trouble.

They were all Americans. Two students one professional.

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 23:24

Kendodd · 13/12/2025 23:07

Except were they all shams?
I also know two couples who married ONLY for immigration purposes. Both were genuine couples but neither would have married (and were clear about this) if they didn't feel they had to to stay in the country. Both couples went on to have two children one divorced after about 20 years the other couple are still together. They 100% say wouldn't have married if they didn't have to but they weren't sham marriages.

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Depends if they can prove to the home office it's a genuine relationship and not just a favour for immigration purposes.

Kendodd · 13/12/2025 23:07

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 22:57

Sham marriages that should be voided

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Except were they all shams?
I also know two couples who married ONLY for immigration purposes. Both were genuine couples but neither would have married (and were clear about this) if they didn't feel they had to to stay in the country. Both couples went on to have two children one divorced after about 20 years the other couple are still together. They 100% say wouldn't have married if they didn't have to but they weren't sham marriages.

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 22:57

Nantescalling · 13/12/2025 22:22

Ditto. It was seen as doing the kindest thing to avoid them getting thrown out or worse.

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Sham marriages that should be voided

Nantescalling · 13/12/2025 22:22

Bambamhoohoo · 12/12/2025 19:37

When I was at university I knew 5 people who married for visas. 2 married boyfriends of the time, 1 paid a stranger to marry her, 2 married friends as favours.

that was London in the noughties 🤷🏽‍♀️

(eta- they were all visa overstayers)

Edited

Ditto. It was seen as doing the kindest thing to avoid them getting thrown out or worse.

Nantescalling · 13/12/2025 22:09

BluntHazeGuide · 12/12/2025 06:38

Not the point of your thread, but people do not get paid to go on the news, not sure where you got that idea.

Hello !

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 17:51

itsnotfairisit · 13/12/2025 17:41

But why? Assuming this woman has lived in the uk for decades, contributing, having children who contribute etc etc.

seems like a waste of everyone’s time and money

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Surely if you want the UK to be your forever home you naturalise and become a citizen.

60+ years.... Apply for citizenship and "join the family"

itsnotfairisit · 13/12/2025 17:41

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 16:57

Citizenship application?

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But why? Assuming this woman has lived in the uk for decades, contributing, having children who contribute etc etc.

seems like a waste of everyone’s time and money

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 17:20

Jumpers4goalposts · 13/12/2025 11:01

Plenty of people not paying tax due, plenty of takers without giving, and plenty of companies too not paying any tax… tax that would equate to much more than what these two people “aren’t” paying. So again why do these two people bother you so much? What impact are these two people having on your life? Because the tax shortfall from companies like Amazon or Starbucks, or the wealthy who hide their cash and assets are having a much bigger impact on you personally and yet you seem so much more angry about individuals with very little.

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The biggest contributor to the tax gap are small businesses. They do the most of not paying tax

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 16:57

GCAcademic · 13/12/2025 15:47

Once Farage gets into power, my 85-year old mother who has lived here for 60 years and has Indefinite Leave to Remain will be here "illegally". I guess people like the OP will be queuing up to grass "criminals" like her up to the Border Agency.

Citizenship application?

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 16:09

BG2015 · 12/12/2025 19:13

My friend works for a university and says loads of overseas students come here 'to study' then just disappear. She says they just stop attending lectures, presumably because they either 1) don't like it and return home or 2) they use it as a route into the country in order to live here illegally.

Know so many builders who come to do sham courses, abscond and just do building after.

canklesmctacotits · 13/12/2025 15:56

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 14:46

If this was America, ICE would have deported them.

Why doesn't our home office just remove them.

As someone who has first hand experience of ICE, I’m chuckling at your username which couldn’t be more accurate. You haven’t got the first fucking clue, just believing whatever you see on your screen.

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 15:54

Zanatdy · 13/12/2025 15:38

Well I don’t know about that as they didn’t do anything to tackle this issue either and certainly had job cuts under them too.

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Reform

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/12/2025 15:54

You are being unreasonable.

canklesmctacotits · 13/12/2025 15:54

You seem to think Sky owe you something (integrity? of care? standards? Factual accuracy? Providing you with factual reporting?). You are so, so wrong that it’s baffling how wrong you are. But I don’t think that is what this thread is about is it.

itsnotfairisit · 13/12/2025 15:50

icannotbelievethis · 12/12/2025 07:22

So illegal immigrants now have a right to be interviewed on TV? It’s an absolute disgrace. Sky News was in the presence of criminals and they just shrugged and encouraged them to stay.

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Aren’t you glad they have that right (as you put it?). It shines a light and enables you to froth about it

GCAcademic · 13/12/2025 15:47

Once Farage gets into power, my 85-year old mother who has lived here for 60 years and has Indefinite Leave to Remain will be here "illegally". I guess people like the OP will be queuing up to grass "criminals" like her up to the Border Agency.

Zanatdy · 13/12/2025 15:38

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 15:21

That's unfortunate. But we all know the next government will change things.

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Well I don’t know about that as they didn’t do anything to tackle this issue either and certainly had job cuts under them too.

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 15:21

Zanatdy · 13/12/2025 15:20

Instead they are taking resources away.

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That's unfortunate. But we all know the next government will change things.

Zanatdy · 13/12/2025 15:20

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 15:14

Think we should give them more resources then.

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Instead they are taking resources away.

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 15:14

Zanatdy · 13/12/2025 14:52

Because they don’t have the resource. Some are removed, but very few.

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Think we should give them more resources then.

Zanatdy · 13/12/2025 14:52

DuncesAreThere · 13/12/2025 14:46

If this was America, ICE would have deported them.

Why doesn't our home office just remove them.

Because they don’t have the resource. Some are removed, but very few.

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