Kiwi expats prefer prison to having to leave UK
A New Zealand farming couple living in Britain who failed to renew their visas on time are prepared to go to prison to stop being deported.
John and Louise Talbot have lived in Dorset England for the past six years helping their sons to establish a cattle farm.
Louise Talbot, 52, who also teaches cheese-making, said they have been ordered by the Home Office to leave the country after they missed a deadline to file their immigration application.
An immigration judge said there is no reason they cannot stay and backed their case, The Daily Mail reported.
The Talbots have appealed to UK Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill to stop their deportation.
‘‘I would serve a prison sentence to sort this out,’’ Louise Talbot told the Daily Mail.
‘‘It has been an utter nightmare, so cruel. It was one simple mistake. It was just a slip, an unintentional error.
‘‘We were not trying to bend the
We are utterly distraught at the thought of our lives being devastated because of a technicality. Louise Talbot
rules. We are utterly distraught at the thought of our lives being devastated because of a technicality.
‘‘This is our home. I would serve a prison sentence to sort this out.’’
She said the decision by immigration staff to rejected the application because it was out of time was ‘‘criminal’’.
The Talbots moved to Dorset in 2010.
Their two sons were enrolled in agricultural schools in the UK.
The couple knew the visas expired in May 2015 and intended to apply for indefinite leave to remain 28 days before the expiry date.
Both passed a ‘‘Life in the UK’’ test and other criteria in the application but one of their sons Charles failed to meet the deadline due to university exams.
Their passports were seized and right of appeal has been denied.
They must leave the UK voluntarily, or be liable for enforced removal.
Immigration judge Justice Jay said there was no reason why the application should be refused if the applicants met all the requirements, such as ancestry and passing the application test.