US musician wins legal fight to remain in Scotland
A TOP American session musician has finally won victory over the Home Office after a four-year battle to stay in Scotland.
Steve Forman, who played percussion on tracks by Pink Floyd, David Bowie, John Lennon, and Fleetwood Mac, has been given the right to remain after living in Scotland for 10 years.
Four years ago, Mr Forman was told he had to leave the UK because his salary was not high enough, despite earning £5,000 a month from his job at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), in Glasgow, and royalties. Dave Gilmour, the guitarist with Pink Floyd, described the deportation move at the time as “odd”, hailing the percussionist’s “unique talent” that would be indispensable to students.
Mr Forman, 72, who lost his job at the conservatory, won an immigration appeal in 2015 but the Home Office dragged on appeals for another three years.
But yesterday his lawyer revealed they had finally triumphed.
Frazer Latta confirmed: “After several years of legal arguments, Dr Forman has been granted indefinite leave to remain by the Home Office.”
It is understood the Home Office backed down after Mr Forman reached his 10th anniversary of moving to Scotland. That is the minimum period required to be considered for the right to remain.
It is believed this milestone would have made it even more difficult for the UK government to fight the case.
Mr Forman can now stay without any time limit and is free to take up a job or study without any further restrictions.
The deportation saga began in 2014 when Mr Forman, originally from Los Angeles, was told he could not extend his visa because of salary restrictions.
In his role at the RCS, which he held for four years, Mr Forman did not reach an “appropriate salary rate” – that for an experienced higher education teaching professional is £31,200.
Although his earnings fell short of the salary rate, Mr Forman’s income from royalties and other sources meant he earned about £5,000 a month. Despite not claiming a “dime” on benefits, wanting to work and having committed no offences, the Home Office pursued the deportation, citing it as in the “public interest”.
In January 2015, Mr Forman won the right to stay in Scotland after an immigration judge strongly rejected a Home Office bid to deport him –yet the Home Office continued legal action against him.