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Original poster

Deported grandmother : what is the government trying to prove

363 replies

alwaysprepare · 27/02/2017 11:31

There is a story of a woman originally from Singapore who lives here and has been married to a Brit for 27 years, they have 2 kids and a grandchild.
Her parents had been ill and she has spent the last few years going home to take care of them. They have now passed away. She had indefinite leave to remain which has been revoked and was apparently taken on a Sunday by authorities and sent to a detention centre before being put on a flight with £12 and the clothes on her back. Her husband is poorly after a heart bypass, I think it was.

You are not allowed to leave the country for a certain amount of time on the visa she has, but she probably needed to take care of ailing parents. Also Singapore does not Allow dual citizenship which maybe why she did not apply for UK passport as that probably would have been tricky for her parent emergencies etc.

We are no better than Trump.

Sorry cannot paste it right now, but it's on Google.

OP posts:
RedMetamorphosis · 27/02/2017 23:31

I can imagine that it reminds them of their childhood, with their mother living in Singapore while they live in the UK.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 27/02/2017 23:37

Helena, why doesn't she just apply then... I am sure she has more than satisfied the criteria? She wouldn't be sent back then.

38cody · 28/02/2017 00:15

Can't have your cake and eat it - sounds dodgy - she should have known the visa terms.

HelenaDove · 28/02/2017 00:38

Because she is on a state pension and cant afford to and has other things to think about like struggling to get up and down the stairs.

She will likely need money to pay for care at some point. Other priorities. And going by some of the posts on here the way the rules keep changing and goalposts keep moving why should an 81 year old woman now jump through hoops when she has worked hard for a peaceful retirement not a hoop jumping one. They shouldnt have denied her dual nationality back in the 60s when she did inquire about it. Why the fuck should she keep chasing them all the time just in case their minds change.

Life in 1965 wasnt remotely like 2017. You do know that right?! My parents even got a lecture off the priest for wanting to enter into a mixed marriage. Maybe my DM and my dad didnt want to keep exposing themselves to those kinds of prejudices over and over.

They had the chance to treat my parents with respect 50 years ago.
They chose not to!!!

HelenaDove · 28/02/2017 00:55

Life in 1965 wasnt remotely like 2017

Actually i take this back. We seem to be spiralling back that way.

We will probably end up having a reboot of Love Thy Neighbour but with smartphones Hmm

Out2pasture · 28/02/2017 00:57

i had citizenship issues and felt a lawyer was needed to sort it out. it took a long time to set money aside for this.
when i did contact an immigration lawyer she told me that it was better to sort this out now than wait till i tried to collect my government pension.
i have a close friend who applied 12 months ago and has yet to receive any government money as they try to work out paperwork issues related to having been born abroad on a military base and whether the parents obtained the right visa 60+ years ago :(

BillSykesDog · 28/02/2017 07:23

Helena she lived there 3 years ago.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 08:04

As I said. I don't think it should be a legal minefield or cost vast amounts of money.

I suspect in 1965 they would have received the same lecture off the priest in Italy. Life was different in 1965 and I hope it stays that way.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 08:08

I think it is imperative though that people do not put off doing it, because otherwise they end up stuck in a situation like your mum.

BillSykesDog · 28/02/2017 08:29

I think the passport/citizenship/residency issue is a bit of a red herring. In all likelihood she didn't organise any of these as she was no longer in a relationship with her husband and had no desire or need for it for that reason.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 08:32

I agree bill Grin

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 09:21

Could you help to pay for your mum to get citizenship Helena. I really think that would be a good idea. I wouldn't leave it as it is at the moment, just in case. Perhaps the whole family could pitch in.
I can really see no reason that they would not grant her citizenship.

I think if the following story like hers was to be posted in the news:

"my DM worked in factories that are part of the food industry in the UK for 50 years and didnt retire until the age of 79" **and has been refused citzenship. She has only returned to her native country for short holidays/ for a year to help a sick relative.

I think if this happened people would be completely outraged. I would be disgusted.

I think differently of not applying when you think you meet the criteria though.

TheElementsSong · 28/02/2017 09:24

I've just watched the Channel 4 interview with the husband (and SiL). He's a man of few words Grin but he looked pretty miserable and didn't say anything about their relationship being over nor correcting any of the background information recited by John Snow. There was also a brief phone conversation with Mrs Clennell. One thing that surprised me was that each of them said (independently of each other) that the HO had told them they could keep their relationship going by modern means such as phone or Skype. If so, again this implies (they are saying) that their relationship is not over.

So I guess posters on here must have a special insight into this marriage, and as the husband and SiL are both colluding into this by claiming that this is an ongoing relationship, I do hope these posters will be informing the authorities forthwith - because a sham marriage is fraud, yes?

RedAndYellowPeppers · 28/02/2017 09:30

I have to say, when people are married to a partner who goes away for very long period, let's say the army or working on platforms or working on a big project abroad, does it mean that they have a sham marriage too?

I'll have to tell my friend about it. Her DH has been working abroad for 3 years now (more money to help the family AND the one job he could find...). He sees the dcs and my friend only a few weeks a year (his hols) and is planning to retire soon with ... yes you get it, my friend, his dw.

What I A trying to say is that there are plenty of situations where one partner will work away for very long periods. Saying that it automatically means that the marriage is a sham and they aren't together anymore is :(:(

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza · 28/02/2017 09:30

I think if people have to invent that the marriage isn't real and that she doesn't really love her children (?!), it's a sign they don't have much to stand on. Some of the previous posts here are appalling.

I do appreciate some people are just reaching about for an acceptable reason but the truth is that Mr Clenell is too poor and too disabled to deserve to live with the woman he lives. The Home Office does not consider it has a duty to defend his human right to a family life because he is poor.

Now by all means, defend that position with reference to the "public purse". But stop inventing fairy stories about how they aren't really married because the reason this British citizen cannot live with his wife is because he is poor.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 09:30

Looks dodgy yes, and you can't blame the home office for thinking so.

I could try to look miserable to get in to Australia. Would they let me....doubt it.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 09:32

The one about not really loving her children is a terrible remark IMHO.

thetoothfairywhoforgot · 28/02/2017 09:33

I believe that people in genuine partnerships should be able to live in each other's countries.

The in's and outs of her visa, marriage etc are immaterial. Even if this lady had only been married a year, I think she should be able to stay in the UK. IMO, humans have a right to a family life.

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza · 28/02/2017 09:34

Actually, the truly Kafkaesque aspect to this is he probably isn't especially poor - his wife has just inherited from her Singaporean parents so they are probably quite comfortable. But since 2012, the May/Rudd Home Office don't care about the actual financial position of the family. They only care that this disabled grandfather is not actively earning.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 09:41

I do not believe that applying for citizenship should cost vast amounts of money, particularly where someone has worked in the uk for a sustained period time like your mum has.
At the moment it costs money.
People should still make it a priority even if it is a struggle to do so, for their own sake. Complaining about it is fair enough, but just deciding.. why the hell should I? Is not going to help people and is a silly attitude to the future they want.

LaurieMarlow · 28/02/2017 09:42

God the comments on this thread are depressing.

But one thing last year has proved is that the world is full of arseholes. So I shouldn't be surprised.

GraceGrape · 28/02/2017 09:46

Agree LaurieMarlow. Any threads about immigration are awful to read at the moment. So much insularity and lack of empathy. The recent thread about refugees was appalling.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 09:47

People like Amber rudd are common where I was from, her Hastings and Rye constituency is not far from where I grew up. I find her a tiny bit scary and UKIPish, but I reckon it is more mannerisms than Ill will. I hope she will ensure that everybody's applications are considered fairly.

YERerseISootTHEwindy · 28/02/2017 09:49

Here's to hoping Wine

GraceGrape · 28/02/2017 09:54

Amber Rudd seems to have had some sort of microchip inserted since the referendum, when she was very pro-EU and not anti-immigration in any way. TM has obviously created some sort of clone to run the home office now she has left it.

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