Demand The Home Office to allow me (a British Citizen) to remain in the Country with my family

  • by: Daisy K
  • recipient: British Home Office

In 2015 my South African husband and I (and our two dogs) moved to Ireland from Capetown, as a British citizen I legally have rights to work in any EU member state and bring my non EU spouse with me without issue and to freely return to the UK if desired.

We were granted our family permit in Ireland after 9 months and everything seemed optimistic until my hours were drastically cut at my workplace. After numerous job applications and refusals we felt it was best to move to London as we could no longer afford the rent.

We settled into London life, both found full time jobs, paid our taxes and wanted to settle down. We do not receive any help from the government and are not a burden on the system

I fell pregnant unexpectedly but continued to work up until maternity leave started.. it was around this time that the first visa application was denied. We had proved that we met the criteria to stay; However, the home office denied me my rights as a British citizen to work in an EU member state with my Non EU spouse and continued to question it... they said we did not prove our centre of life in Ireland even though we successfully proved this in Ireland upon receiving the family permit (something we would not have been granted if we did not prove our centre of life there)

We reapplied and were denied again! This was around  the time our daughter was born and instead of feeling happy and excited for the future it was an extremely stressful time in our lives and i developed post natal depression as a result.

They still say we did not prove our centre of life in Ireland even though I had a full time job, a long term rental and proof that we lived a life happily there.

They also question us because I have 'family ties' to England (my mother) which actually has no legal backing and is completely irrelevant... its not a crime for me, a British citizen, to have a british mother!

We now have 10 days to leave the country, we have spent every last penny trying to fight this but to no success. We will lose everything, our possessions, our jobs and also my dear dogs which I have lovingly owned since they were pups... not to mention we will be split up as a family until I finalize everything here while my husband returns to SA, my 9 month old (also a british citizen)  will be without her father on her first Christmas. The Home Office eloquently put it like this ''your husband can have a relationship with your daughter on skype''.

This is completely immoral! It goes directly against EU law but we simply do not have the money to fight this in Court. It violates my human rights and my EU rights


Please sign and share this so this doesn't keep happening to innocent victims... I fear it may be too late for us but this is happening to numerous families with South African spouses all over the UK... it is not an isolated incident.

Update #16 years ago
I have set up a GoFundMe to raise money to get my dogs back to SA.I will be adding the email quote from the pet travel agency with all the details. If you feel you want to donate I would be eternally grateful

Please share

https://www.gofundme.com/mux4n2-please-help-me-keep-my-dogs?pc=fb_co_shareflow_w&rcid=r01-151136784111-50239950a5b34c7c
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