NHS worker stuck in Kenya as settled status documents are rejected

An NHS worker has been left stranded in Kenya as a result of she has been informed that new EU settled status documents issued to her by the Home Office are not legitimate for journey.

Doreen Kathambi, 36, lives in Glasgow together with her fiance, Iain Dunsmore. She works as a dietetic assistant on the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley.

She needed to journey to Kenya final month for her father’s funeral and knowledgeable her employers she can be again in the UK by 18 January.

She obtained her EUSS documents from the Home Office final month to allow her to attend the funeral.

Although she utilized for these documents in July final 12 months, she didn’t get a biometric residence allow appointment till October. After the dying of her father her lawyer needed to intervene with the Home Office to expedite the issuing of her EUSS affirmation.

The letter from the Home Office granting her EUSS, seen by the Guardian, confirms that she will show her settled status by logging into her on-line digital identification info, which incorporates her photograph and different figuring out particulars.

The case raises considerations in regards to the efficacy of EUSS digital documents issued by the Home Office after officers demanded further proof from Kathambi.

She had no issues travelling from the UK to Kenya however when she arrived on the airport in Nairobi on Friday hoping to board a Qatar Airways flight again dwelling she was denied permission to board the airplane by airline workers and immigration officers on the airport.

“I presented my letter from the Home Office confirming my EU settled status, which said I could share my immigration status online but they said that the advice given by the Home Office to prove my status online is not enough, I need a visa stamped on my passport,” she stated.

Although she logged into her digital identification documents, which included a photograph, and confirmed them to officers, they rejected this as proof of her status and stated they must contact Home Office officers in London.

She confirmed a screenshot of the UK authorities website page titled: “View and prove your immigration status”, explaining entry the web identification info however was nonetheless denied permission to board the 5.10pm flight she and her fiance had been booked on to.

Kathambi is distressed by her expertise and anxious that her delay in returning to the UK might put her job in danger.

“I’m so worried about my job,” she stated. “I asked the airline officials if they could at least give me a document to confirm they had denied me boarding of the plane so that I could show that to my employer but they refused to do so.”

The Home Office points biometric playing cards to some folks granted EUSS, however many solely have the web proof to depend on that failed in Kathambi’s case.

She stated her expertise on the airport was traumatic.

“They were asking me all sorts of personal questions about things like whether I was married. I kept showing them proof that I could travel. I even showed them my NHS work badge which I carry with me. But everything was refused. The whole thing was so dehumanising. I almost lost my mind in the airport.”

Chai Patel of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants stated: “We’ve warned time and again that digital only status will lead to discrimination – in particular against people of colour. Now we are seeing confirmation of this. [The]Home Office must immediately enable Doreen to return to the UK – as is her right as an EU settled status holder and give Europeans the physical proof they so desperately need to demonstrate their rights. Without this we will sadly see more discrimination at borders, in employment and in housing.”

A Home Office spokesperson stated: “We are in the process of making contact with Ms Kathambi to work with her on the best options to help her to return to the UK.

“A non-EEA national with settled status must continue to present their passport and biometric residence card to travel to the UK.”

Qatar Airways has been approached for remark.

• This article was amended on 16 January 2021. An earlier model stated the Home Office concern biometric playing cards to folks granted EUSS, however this solely applies in some circumstances. This has been clarified.