UK visas declined for mom’s final farewell

THE EDITOR, Sir: I HAVE lived in the United Kingdom since 1973. I have four brothers living in Jamaica. Our mother has lived in the UK since 1961. She had left us in Jamaica with friends and relatives to seek a better life.

My mom died on September 23, and as I am her only offspring living here in England, I invited two of my brothers up for her funeral. Their stay here would be totally at my expense. They haven’t seen our mother since 1997 when she last visited Jamaica.

I forwarded all the necessary documents required to process my brothers’ applications for visitor’s visas to the UK, along with the extra fee required for an express service, as the funeral will be on November 17.

The applications were declined on Friday, October 29 on the grounds that they weren’t financially stable and didn’t have enough ties for them to return to Jamaica. In the past, I have entertained my dad (now deceased) here for six months’ vacation, one of my brothers, at least, on three different occasions, and my sister-in-law on one occasion. Not once did any of my previous guests from Jamaica overstay their time here.

This refusal to issue my brothers with a visa to attend our mother’s funeral is heartbreaking.

We are gutted, and I am clutching at straws by sending this email. Is there anything anyone in Jamaica can do to plead our cause? My family and I would be eternally grateful if someone could render any assistance. MURIEL MOORE (PAT) patmoore18@hotmail.co.uk