'I thought I was a British citizen for 22 years, but now I could be deported' | uk news

Some born in the UK are still at risk of deportation. (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Your application has been rejected as invalid.

On December 12 last year, I was shocked to receive an email informing me that my application for settled status had been rejected.

The reasons given by the Home Office were that the deadline had passed and there was a lack of sufficient evidence to justify the late application.

But the problem is that I had no idea my status was 7 until I started working as a caregiver and was asked to provide a shared code, a code that allows immigrants to prove their right to work.

This has left me in a situation where I am now under threat of deportation, despite being born in the UK and holding a UK birth certificate.

Born in 2001 and raised in London, my Portuguese mother believed I was British, even though she and my father did not. Her mother came to the UK in 2000 and she had me and my three siblings.

I have been registered with a GP since birth and even had a little red book, also known as a Personal Child Health Record (PCHR), in which I recorded my health information. I went to nursery school and went to school with other British friends.

I think I am British and have always been British. There is no other place I know as home and I have never lived in another country.

After the UK left the European Union, my mother knew she would have to apply for settled status. But at the time she was told by staff at Wembley Civic Center that that did not apply as I was born here and have a UK birth certificate.

So I didn't think about it any more.

However, when I got a job as a care worker last December at the age of 22, I was asked for a sharing code, but I had no idea what it was.

I thought my birth certificate would be enough for my right to witness. I also submitted my Portuguese passport and proof of address, but my employer said these were not enough.

I felt like I had to start my life over again, and thinking about that made me feel deeply depressed.

This was the moment I realized I wasn't fully British and the nightmare began.

I learned that using a UK birth certificate is sufficient only if you are already a UK citizen. But I need a right to work document as I don't have a UK passport and have never had one.

Nonetheless, I thought this was just an administrative problem that would be easily resolved. How can they question my right to stay in the country where I was born, raised and lived?

So, we applied for the EU Settlement Scheme in December 2023.

When I received the rejection letter four days later, fear washed over me. In this way, my identity and sense of belonging were taken away, and my life began to fall apart.

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Applying for a British passport seemed like the logical next step. I've never been outside the UK and I've never needed it until now.

Through this process, I was asked to submit documents showing that my mother had given me a residence permit when I was born in 2001. That document may have been the Portuguese passport her mother used to enter the UK.

Unfortunately, my mother renewed her passport and the Portuguese authorities are keeping all passports expired. Without this important evidence there was no way to get a British passport and appealing the decision would be a very expensive (140-800) and lengthy process.

After doing some research, it suddenly occurred to me: You may actually be deported.

This was difficult to accept. I have never lived in Portugal. I grew up in London and this is my home. I felt like I had to start my life over again, and thinking about that made me feel deeply depressed.

Being autistic, I tend to get easily overwhelmed and was unprepared for the toll this realization would take. My mental health plummeted, my depression worsened and I found it difficult to get out of bed.

There seemed to be no hope of solving this problem.

To make matters worse, uncertainty about their status led them to lose their jobs, leaving them with no means of earning a living. I lost my independence and became a burden to my family.

I am afraid that I will have to leave my home, my family, my friends, and everything I know in a country that does not even speak my native language and cannot adequately support my mental health needs.

Decision-makers must recognize the psychological, emotional, and spiritual costs resulting from insensitive and inhumane immigration policies.

I was fortunate to discover Women's Rights, a charity that supported me to re-apply for settled status. But everything is so uncertain and there is no way to know how long the process will take or what the outcome will be.

Governments and decision-makers must recognize the psychological, emotional and spiritual costs resulting from insensitive and inhumane immigration policies. We are not just numbers on a form. We are individuals whose lives, livelihoods, and mental well-being are at stake.

Change needs to happen so people like me can get better support and avoid getting into legal trouble. Recent statistics from the Migration Observatory show that there are thousands of people in the UK experiencing similar difficulties.

Governments must recognize the urgency of this problem and take concrete steps to address it. Failure to do so will not only perpetuate injustice but will undermine the very fabric of our society.

My journey is not just a personal struggle, but a reflection of the systemic failures of our immigration system.

It is time to change, be compassionate, and recognize the inherent right of every individual to belong.

Until then, I remain in the shadows, fighting for my place in the country I call home.

Do you have a story you'd like to share? Please email [email protected] to inquire.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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