A Zimbabwean maid who was denied a visitor’s visa to Northern Ireland to attend a wedding has won her case at the High Court. Lettywin...
A Zimbabwean maid who was denied a visitor’s visa to
Northern Ireland to attend a wedding has won her case at the High Court.
Lettywin Satichi worked for the groom’s family who are
Irish citizens living in Zimbabwe. She helped to raise the groom.
The Belfast Telegraph reported earlier this month that
Satichi was informed that her application for a visitor's visa to enter the UK
for the wedding and to remain as a tourist for 14 days had been denied.
According to Ms Satichi's legal team the grounds given for
the refusal were that her circumstances in Zimbabwe were not sufficiently
favourable to cause her to return.
Her solicitor, Sarah Symington of John J Rice & Co,
claimed officials who initially refused the visa showed no compassion.
She said: "It appears that the Home Office on a
regular basis provides a hostile environment and a 'cold house' for prospective
visitors with an African passport."
The lawyers issued judicial review proceedings, arguing that
the decision was unlawful and unreasonable.
However, counsel for the Home Office later told the court
an agreement has been reached in the case.
With the challenge resolved, Ms Symington said she was
delighted the Home Office has retaken its decision and granted a permit to the
housekeeper.
"She awaits receipt of the visa to be able to travel
in time for the wedding," the solicitor said.
"Our client is thrilled to arrive in Belfast within
the coming week to celebrate this happy occasion with her friends."
Ms Symington went on to claim UK Border officials often
provide "arbitrary and demeaning" grounds for rejecting applications
made by those seeking to be reunited with family or to see friends.
Pointing to the alleged reasons for initially refusing a
visa to Ms Satichi, she said: "The implication, which is not terribly
subtle, is that life in Africa, whatever your circumstances, is one to be
fled."
She added: "The obvious question remains as to how
many other foreign nationals are applying for such visas and are being refused
on similar spurious grounds.
"We suggest that the Home Office need to re-examine
their decision making process and make changes to avoid court proceedings being
brought which ultimately form a substantial pull on the public purse."
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