My sister-in-law has lived and worked in this country for 65 years.
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Nelson Shardey
(134 Posts)This is rather long but I hope you will read it.
Nelson Shardey, age 74, is a Ghanaian man who came to the UK nearly 50 years ago to study accountancy. When there was a coup in Ghana his family were unable to continue supporting him so he worked so he could continue his studies.
He worked for well-known firms such as Mother's Pride, Mr Kipling Cakes and Bendincks.
No-one ever queried his right to stay and work here. He paid his taxes.
Later on he ran a newsagent's, married and had a family. His sons went to university here and both have good jobs.
Mr Shardey bought a house after obtaining a mortgage.
He has performed jury service, and in 2007 was given a police award for bravery after tackling a robber who was attacking a delivery man with a baseball bat.
He never applied for a British passport as he never went abroad until 2019 when he wanted to go to Ghana after his mother died.
That's when his troubles started because the Home Office said he had no right to be in the UK.
Officials told him to apply for the 10-year route to settlement.
By that time, even if granted, he will be 84.
Over the 10 years it costs about £7,000, with a further £10,500 over the same period to access the NHS.
"I cannot afford to pay any part of the money they are asking," said Mr Shardey, who is recovering from prostate cancer."
Mr Shardey made a mistake in believing he did not need to apply for settlement here and no-one, not the HMRC, the CJA, the banks ever advised him otherwise.
This man has been an asset to our country, a man to admire.
Surely the Home Office should use some common sense and grant him British citizenship as a matter of urgency?
We need rules but there must be some way round this ridiculousness.
Callistemon21
Let's criminalise him and put him on the next plane to Rwanda, shall we?
I am quite sure there are others here who have overstayed their visas, quite deliberately, many who don't even have a visa and have disappeared into the black economy.
As Mr Shardey has neither disappeared or has been found working in the black economy, I do not believe this was anything other than a genuine misunderstanding. He has been an upstanding member of the community.
Would granting him British citizenship set a precedent, as there are probably very few cases exactly like his. Each case should be judged on its merits.
I agree 100% 👏👏👏👏
The Home Office has a scandalous record to those who came and worked in our country with the Windrush Scandal of 2018 and still not resolved.
To jog memories:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windrush_scandal
In the year ending March 2020 there was no record of departure for 83,600 people whose work, study or family visas expired during that year . Just in one year. So now you know, Lizzie.
where is the petition to sign for some sensible humanity here.
seems we can eject criminals etc. etc.. but....
Let's criminalise him and put him on the next plane to Rwanda, shall we?
I am quite sure there are others here who have overstayed their visas, quite deliberately, many who don't even have a visa and have disappeared into the black economy.
As Mr Shardey has neither disappeared or has been found working in the black economy, I do not believe this was anything other than a genuine misunderstanding. He has been an upstanding member of the community.
Would granting him British citizenship set a precedent, as there are probably very few cases exactly like his. Each case should be judged on its merits.
I have no idea, and until I had I wouldn’t cast aspersions.
Do you seriously think he is the only person in the UK who has stayed without permission after their visa expired?
And will the floodgates open? He is by no means unique
Oh here we go … ‘the floodgates’! GSM how do you know he’s not unique - do you have knowledge of others in the same situation?
Precedent.
Floodgates?
This is how the media feed into our national obsession with the 'other,' taking over our country.
This is how people believe things they read in the media without looking below the surface to see the manipulation.
What does anyone need to fear from giving this man citizenship?
Absolutely nothing.
And will the floodgates open? He is by no means unique.
The HO may have made mistakes - he did not, in my opinion. He intentionally stayed here and as I have already said he has fathered four children here who have had the benefit of family allowance, healthcare and education.
Rules are there to be followed, not bent.
I believe, because the Home Office has made a complete mess of his case, including giving him completely wrong information for 18 months, they are equally to blame.
Because of this and the fact he has proved himself over and again as a good member of society, then his application should be expedited and granted forthwith.
I don’t believe it was an oversight or a wrong assumption. He was receiving funding from family in Ghana until a coup brought this to an end. Which of the various coups that was I don’t know, but at that point he likely decided not to return home. He is not a stupid man. This would not be an oversight such as forgetting a birthday. He had applied for a visa to come to this country and he knew it was time-limited. He was not a forgetful old man then. He applied for a passport in 2019 and was told why he was not eligible for one. It’s now 2024. I don’t believe in making exceptions because that is how precedents are set.
winterwhite
‘Caught’ seems to add a harsh dimension. The evidence is that this was a genuine oversight / failure to follow the correct procedure. Agree that it was no one’s fault but his own but we need not imply that he’s a petty criminal.
I agree with those asking for an exception to be made in this sad case.
Agree that it was no one’s fault but his own but we need not imply that he’s a petty criminal.
Absolutely, winterwhite.
It might well not have been deliberate; it was, I believe, an oversight or a wrong assumption on his part.
He has proved himself to be the kind of person Britain should welcome here and yes, an exception to the rules should be made asap.
‘Caught’ seems to add a harsh dimension. The evidence is that this was a genuine oversight / failure to follow the correct procedure. Agree that it was no one’s fault but his own but we need not imply that he’s a petty criminal.
I agree with those asking for an exception to be made in this sad case.
Germanshepherdsmum
His visa allowed him to study and work - hence he was given NI number, without which he could not have worked.
Ah, thanks, yes that makes complete sense. How long would his visa have lasted then and surely once it ran out how did he continue to gain employment?
He was entitled to get a NI number as his visa enabled him to study and to work. What he was not entitled to do was ignore the expiry date and act as though he had every right to be here - which he did not. Had he applied for leave to stay before the visa expired it might have been granted, but he didn’t and now blames the system rather than himself. He is the author of his own misfortune. He was only caught when he applied for a passport.
Cossy
Freya5
What this boils down to is an immigration and checking service re visas that is not fit for purpose, and hasn't been for the last 50 years. No one who has a visa, and you still need one from Ghana, and doesn't know it hen it runs out, I would call a bender of the truth. Does he admit to his own failings in this. Guess not. It is anyone's responsibility when they move to another country, to keep your immigration status legal . He's been lucky , so far. Leave to remain, maybe. Not citizenship, that is by the backdoor, and would be dishonestly obtained, and a slap in the face to such as my neighbour who has gone through all the legalities.
Why?? Why would it be a slap in the face of someone who has “gone through all the legalities”. He’d still have to go through the process. It’s a nonsense this case and shows just how inept our authorities are. Why, when he was issues with an NI weren’t the appropriate checks done prior to issuing it and he told that if he was planning on staying he needed to apply for citizenship?? The salient point here is you DON’T have to be a British Citizen or have a British passport to live and work here. My Irish husband has NEVER (and never will have) a British passport. He’s now retired and has lived here since he was 5!
I said they were inept, didn't you read it. Why didnt he take some responsibility, his Insurance no, that's why our
system is inept, too easy for someone to lie about status.
Not sure what you know about our history, but the CTA between the UK and Ireland has been in use since 1922. Reaffirmed in 2019. So there is no problem with Irish citizens being here is there. So your husband is here legally. We have no such arrangements with Ghana. You always have needed a visa. Why the side remark about the British passport.
His visa allowed him to study and work - hence he was given NI number, without which he could not have worked.
Freya5
What this boils down to is an immigration and checking service re visas that is not fit for purpose, and hasn't been for the last 50 years. No one who has a visa, and you still need one from Ghana, and doesn't know it hen it runs out, I would call a bender of the truth. Does he admit to his own failings in this. Guess not. It is anyone's responsibility when they move to another country, to keep your immigration status legal . He's been lucky , so far. Leave to remain, maybe. Not citizenship, that is by the backdoor, and would be dishonestly obtained, and a slap in the face to such as my neighbour who has gone through all the legalities.
Why?? Why would it be a slap in the face of someone who has “gone through all the legalities”. He’d still have to go through the process. It’s a nonsense this case and shows just how inept our authorities are. Why, when he was issues with an NI weren’t the appropriate checks done prior to issuing it and he told that if he was planning on staying he needed to apply for citizenship?? The salient point here is you DON’T have to be a British Citizen or have a British passport to live and work here. My Irish husband has NEVER (and never will have) a British passport. He’s now retired and has lived here since he was 5!
What this boils down to is an immigration and checking service re visas that is not fit for purpose, and hasn't been for the last 50 years. No one who has a visa, and you still need one from Ghana, and doesn't know it hen it runs out, I would call a bender of the truth. Does he admit to his own failings in this. Guess not. It is anyone's responsibility when they move to another country, to keep your immigration status legal . He's been lucky , so far. Leave to remain, maybe. Not citizenship, that is by the backdoor, and would be dishonestly obtained, and a slap in the face to such as my neighbour who has gone through all the legalities.
Oh, it must be more common than I thought then.
Not that I've ever thought of it, really. 
MissAdventure
Yes, she did get it sorted, and had to go to a strange office type hearing, where she swore allegiance to the queen out loud, and signed documents.
Strange stuff.
Here is the Australian oath when becoming an Australian citizen:
Responsibilities
As an Australian citizen you must:
• obey the laws and fulfil your duties as an Australian citizen
• vote in federal and state or territory government elections, and in a referendum
• serve on a jury if called to do so
• defend Australia should the need arise.
Swear allegiance to the Queen.
It is indeed strange stuff.
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