The pregnant companion of an equine dental technician (EDT) who was advised he could have to depart the nation subsequent week has described the state of affairs as “terrible”.
Sophie Seymour, who runs a education and coaching enterprise in Gloucestershire, has been with James Sheppard for 2 and a half years. However the Australian EDT has been within the UK for 12 years, and spent hundreds on his software for indefinite go away to stay on this nation.
Sophie advised H&H James has needed to “leap by means of hoops” on quite a few events through the years, throughout which he has made a big optimistic contribution to the UK economic system, and eventually, final yr, was advised that if he handed the “life within the UK take a look at”, his software would achieve success.
“He handed first time and mentioned ‘Sure, that’s it’; he simply needed to anticipate the go away to stay to be granted,” Sophie mentioned. “Then this morning [6 December] we received an e-mail from the Residence Workplace saying that as a result of he’d travelled exterior the nation, his software was withdrawn.”
The e-mail mentioned that James needed to go away the UK by 17 December, or attempt to apply once more, with no assure he can be accepted, and with all the prices and processes to bear as soon as extra.
“For over eight years, he’s been going to Germany and Dubai, twice a yr, to do horses’ enamel,” Sophie mentioned. “We’ve by no means been advised he wasn’t allowed to go overseas, he’s all the time paid UK taxes on what he’s earned abroad, and even the solicitor we work with by no means talked about it. If we’d identified he wasn’t allowed to go overseas, he wouldn’t have executed it.”
Sophie added that James has all the time paid his taxes – together with £16,000 simply earlier than the Residence Workplace e-mail arrived – in addition to taking good care of UK horses’ enamel and using and coaching British individuals.
“It simply looks like they need an increasing number of cash from him,” she mentioned, including that her main fear is that hers and James’s child is due subsequent month.
“I don’t need to have this child alone,” she mentioned. “I’m too pregnant to fly; individuals have mentioned ‘Simply go together with him’ but when he received deported, I wouldn’t be capable of go together with him. It’s terrible. He’s executed all the pieces he’s alleged to do however they don’t appear to care. I don’t know what to do subsequent.”
H&H contacted the Residence Workplace yesterday and immediately (7 December) a spokesman mentioned: “Immigration guidelines clearly state as soon as an software for go away to stay is submitted, candidates can’t journey exterior the widespread journey space till a call is reached in any other case it will likely be deemed withdrawn.
“We shall be in contact with Mr Sheppard and are contemplating his software.”
Sophie added immediately that the Residence Workplace mentioned, given the circumstances, the withdrawal has itself been withdrawn, James’s software has been reinstated and a call is due subsequent week.
“I’ve little doubt that this whole U-turn has nothing to do with the circumstances, and all the pieces to do with the unfavourable press they’ve obtained since we went public,” she mentioned.
“So many others have been deported in related circumstances and it’s so, so mistaken. My coronary heart breaks for many who aren’t so lucky. The immigration system wants to vary, hopefully our story will assist that.”
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