UK: Army wife faces deportation

[fish&chips]

Soldiers, welfare organisations and senior politicians are calling on the Home Office not to deport the wife of a serving British soldier. Samantha Crozier, who is a Canadian national, has been told that she must leave Britain when her temporary visa runs out in April.
She has been told she will have to go back to her home country if she wants to re-apply for citizenship.
The government says the rules exist to prevent the immigration system from abuse.

'Cruel and ungrateful'
Samantha Crozier met British serviceman L/Cpl Andrew Douglas Crozier six years ago, while he was stationed in Canada.
They married, and four years ago moved to Germany, while he was posted with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
In that time they had two children, Ethan, two, and one-year-old Caleb, who were both granted full British passports.
When the family learned that Andrew was to be moved to the UK, Samantha applied for a temporary visa.
The family arrived in Britain several months later, and she then applied for a full citizenship.
Three weeks ago she was informed that her application had been rejected.
"I got a letter through saying I had been declined for the simple reason of I applied while I already had a stamp saying I'm allowed to be in the country for six months," she said.
"I'm supposed to apply when I'm out of the country."
As the family lived in Germany before, there is a chance she could apply for British Citizenship from there.

If that doesn't work, she faces being sent back to Canada to apply again from there, a process which could take up to a year.
She is terrified about having to leave her two young boys without a carer while her husband is at work, and about having to cope financially on her own in Canada.
The Crozier family has a large campaign group supporting Samantha's bid to remain in the UK.
The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) are providing financial and administrative support to the family while they go through this process.
There is a Facebook group with more than a thousand members, and its campaigners are calling for the government to allow her to apply for full citizenship while she is still in the UK.
Lib Dem Defence spokesperson Nick Harvey also sent a statement of support to Radio 5 Live.
"Like all Armed Forces families, the Croziers have made huge sacrifices in the service of this country.
"For the government to claim that they have no right to be here is cruel and ungrateful in the extreme. We have a duty to ensure the welfare of this family.
"That is why I'm campaigning for a written military covenant to ensure that the government faces up to its duty of care."
Conservative MP Patrick Mercer believes that this issue is at the very heart of the covenant.
"Soldiers and their families deserve to be treated as an exception in these types of circumstances because of the extreme and unique risks that soldiers take on a day-to-day basis," he said.
The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the rules for naturalisation are the responsibility of the Home Office.
The Home Office also sent a statement, which read: "Overseas nationals wishing to come to the UK on the basis of marriage should apply for entry clearance from abroad.

'Rules are rules'
"They will be given leave to enter the UK for two years, after which they can apply for settlement.
Despite the uncertainty over her future, Samantha is aware that the officials are only following their guidelines.
"I believe that rules are rules," she said.
"But at the end of the day I am an army wife.
"I don't think I'm special, but I also do think my husband lays his life down for this country, and I should get something back because of that."


If you are a Facebook member and would like to join the Crozier's campaign, sign in and search for Operation Keep Sami in U.K.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7271728.stm

[domokun]

'Rules are rules'.... common sense is so last year... :bash:

Sounds like bureaucrats doing their job as usual.

[vinny_121_ND]

Wow. British rejecting Canadian people? I'm sorry, that doesn't make sense.

[oldsoak]

Right, now I'm confused. IIRC as the wife of a British national, she had the right to be able to come and go as she pleases and as I understand it, stay. ( which is how members of particular communities get their spouses into the Uk ). How can she be deported ?

[GunnerBhoy]

So the flood gates remain open for people wishing to abuse our benefits yet the wife of a serving soldier is to be deported, disgusting.

[vinny_121_ND]

So the flood gates remain open for people wishing to abuse our benefits yet the wife of a serving soldier is to be deported, disgusting.

X2. This is retarded and totally embarrassing on the brit government. Canadians pledge allegiance to the queen of england, while there are people in the UK who want to bring down the government.

[Warlord]

Would this be news if she was say....from a third world country & not white?

[oldsoak]

Would this be news if she was say....from a third world country & not white?


- Yep, because the PC brigade would make their local MP's life hell over it. She isnt so she dont get the effort.

[deagle]

i don't buy that "rules are rules" sh!et. she is in a special circumstance, and should be given special consideration and review (but within reason).

They bend old "rules" of disallowing felony records/gang members into military, but in this case, they go by the book. i didn't know the govt would try to screw the ppl......

[Bongopete]

Wow. British rejecting Canadian people? I'm sorry, that doesn't make sense.

Must have something to do with 'multiculturalism' over there that we read so much about on the BBC.

[Bongopete]

i don't buy that "rules are rules" sh!et. she is in a special circumstance, and should be given special consideration and review (but within reason).

They bend old "rules" of disallowing felony records/gang members into military, but in this case, they go by the book. i didn't know the govt would try to screw the ppl......

Dont you know better! She would have to be from a downtrodden minority third world country in order to get special consideration.

[Bongopete]

I guess the UK government is eager for him to re up soon too.

[gaijinsamurai]

If she converts to Islam and tells the British Government she's from Pakistan and hates the English, maybe they'll let her stay.

[TheKiwi]

From experience of working for two governments (NZ & UK) and four government departments (before I got better), I know that there are plenty of useless wankers working there, for whom it is easier just to say "It's in the rules" than to have to make a judgement call. After all, if you make a judgement call, you may be called upon to back it up. If you just follow "the rules", you can't be blamed. Common sense almost never comes into it.

I'd like to think that while I did govt work, I didn't fall into that category (but that might be carefully edited memory at work).

Anyhow, in this case, it sucks. Hopefully someone up the chain has the balls to say "think again".

[Scotus]

Speaking as a Canadian citizen, as a UK citizen, and as a soldier in the British Army, I am disgusted many times over by this sickening new low. These are waters deeper than the Mariana Trench. I am not even going to mention the history - which should be obvious to all parties concerned. This is a profound insult to the UK, Canada and the British Army, in no particular order.

The UK has given sanctuary, NINs and freedoms to Jihadists that seek to kill us all and foreign robber barons who cry wolf - that the CANADIAN wife of a British SERVICEMAN would be deported at the drop of a hat is revolting!

[C.MAXIMUS]

If she converts to Islam and tells the British Government she's from Pakistan and hates the English, maybe they'll let her stay.

Bring us the terrorists, the taliban, the hate priests, the scorn of the earth... we will have benefits and free housing for you

[Tokamak]

That's just stupid. The government doesn't deport criminals with the excuse of protecting their human rights but they are trying to deport this poor woman, that doesn't makes sense. Last year if I am not wrong the government wanted to deport the mother of two soldiers, I believe she was from India or something like that.

[Warlord]

Bring us the terrorists, the taliban, the hate priests, the scorn of the earth... we will have benefits and free housing for you

Where do I sign up? Which country is it? I think Sweden has better benefits and prettier women.

[Suicaine]

This is disgusting, servicemen, ex-servicemen and their families are treated like **** on the end of a politicians shoes; They are happy to let in Abu Hamza and company to come in and sponge up the resources put in place for our unemployed but are reluctant to let in VC hero's (they did give way in the end but that is beside the point) and a spouse of our a soldier that fights for his country?! Servicemen are nothing but 2nd class citizens in this country now.

- Alex.

[Calanen]

i don't buy that "rules are rules" sh!et. she is in a special circumstance, and should be given special consideration and review (but within reason).

They bend old "rules" of disallowing felony records/gang members into military, but in this case, they go by the book. i didn't know the govt would try to screw the ppl......

The Minister always has the discretion to intervene - the question is whether he or she chooses to (sorry, dont know who the current Minister for Immigration is in the UK)

[Suicaine]

The Minister always has the discretion to intervene - the question is whether he or she chooses to (sorry, dont know who the current Minister for Immigration is in the UK)
That doesn't matter, i was unaware we had a minister for immigration

- Alex.

[Calanen]

That doesn't matter, i was unaware we had a minister for immigration

- Alex.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/organisation/ministers/liam-byrne/
Liam Byrne - Minister of State and Minister for the West Midlands

Liam Byrne MP is a Home Office Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, and Minister for the West Midlands.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/Images/gifs/liam-byrneBiography

Liam Byrne previously spent a year as Under-Secretary of State for Care Services at the Department of Health.
Liam Byrne joined the Labour Party when he was 15 and was elected to the seat of Birmingham Hodge Hill in the by-election in July 2004. He lives in Birmingham with his wife Sarah and three children.
Liam was educated at Manchester University where he graduated with first class honours and was elected leader of the Student’s Union, and Harvard Business School where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He advised the Labour Party on general election organisation between 1996-7 before managing Labour’s national business campaign.
Liam began his career at Andersen Consulting and worked for NM Rothschilds before starting a venture-backed technology company in 2000. Liam is the author of Local Government Transformed (1996); Information Age Government (1998); New Strategies for Full Employment (2001); and Britain in 2020 (forethought, 2003). He was also co-editor of Reinventing Government Again (2004).
Liam is a member of Amicus, the Christian Socialist Movement, the Fabian Society and was formerly an Associate Fellow of the Social Market Foundation.

[Suicaine]

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/organisation/ministers/liam-byrne/
Liam Byrne - Minister of State and Minister for the West Midlands

Liam Byrne MP is a Home Office Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, and Minister for the West Midlands.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/Images/gifs/liam-byrneBiography

Liam Byrne previously spent a year as Under-Secretary of State for Care Services at the Department of Health.
Liam Byrne joined the Labour Party when he was 15 and was elected to the seat of Birmingham Hodge Hill in the by-election in July 2004. He lives in Birmingham with his wife Sarah and three children.
Liam was educated at Manchester University where he graduated with first class honours and was elected leader of the Student’s Union, and Harvard Business School where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He advised the Labour Party on general election organisation between 1996-7 before managing Labour’s national business campaign.
Liam began his career at Andersen Consulting and worked for NM Rothschilds before starting a venture-backed technology company in 2000. Liam is the author of Local Government Transformed (1996); Information Age Government (1998); New Strategies for Full Employment (2001); and Britain in 2020 (forethought, 2003). He was also co-editor of Reinventing Government Again (2004).
Liam is a member of Amicus, the Christian Socialist Movement, the Fabian Society and was formerly an Associate Fellow of the Social Market Foundation.

It's hard to detect sarcasm over the internet, i was making a joke at the appalling immigration standards.

- Alex.

[KninGrad]

Why is there a fuss about this ....I mean living conditions are better in Canada than most of EU ...

[GunnerBhoy]

Why is there a fuss about this ....I mean living conditions are better in Canada than most of EU ...


Maybe she wants to live in The UK with her husband? its got nothing to do with 'living conditions'.

[h22chen]

Please tell me the entitlements of being in the British Commonwealth?

I think the lady might have missed something, maybe send in the requests/applications late or something similar (sucks to be in her shoes though!). Best of luck.

[SHAM]

Please tell me the entitlements of being in the British Commonwealth?

I think the lady might have missed something, maybe send in the requests/applications late or something (sucks to be her shoes).

Is'nt it just "The Commonwealth" now?

[meatrabbit]

If she converts to Islam and tells the British Government she's from Pakistan and hates the English, maybe they'll let her stay.

Sad but possibly true. This seems to be the way to get into western world countries - as stupid as it is.

Anyway - I really hope she can stay.

[scheer]

This is frankly appalling, I've had friends from Canada have similar problems with immigration who were in good jobs and had built full lives here over years. I've submitted a petition to the No10 website, will put up a link once it's on.

[Roy Batty]

You've my signature once you do....and I'll spread it around the CF like wildfire ;)

[Bulletproof]

The family arrived in Britain several months later, and she then applied for a full citizenship.
Three weeks ago she was informed that her application had been rejected.
I got a letter through saying I had been declined for the simple reason of I applied while I already had a stamp saying I'm allowed to be in the country for six months," she said.

I don't know if she had enough time to ask for her citizenship when his husband received his transfer. Anyway this is f* retarded, she's the wife of a soldier! What the hell.

[LazerLordz]

Let her stay with her legally wedded British national husband. What's so hard?