Worried And Confused

[poliphilo]

The Home Office granted Peter a work permit a few weeks back and he's been applying for jobs. Odi rang at lunchtime yesterday to say he needed a suit for an interview in London - which he was leaving for in a couple of hours- and could we help? So we did. Later, having done some shopping of our own, we rushed him to Manchester coach station and got him there with six minutes to spare.

In the midst of all this kerfuffle a letter came through Peter and Odi's door to say their application for asylum has been turned down.

I wish I knew what was happening. Is it normal to give asylum seekers work permits? Does the work permit imply a right to stay in the country? Is the rejection of the asylum plea a game changer? Are the authorities making it up as they go along?

On top of everything else, Odi is expecting her second child in just under a week.

Comments

[shullie.livejournal.com]

I'd get legal advice asap...xxx

[trixibelle-net.livejournal.com]

What a horrible palaver. I hope it works out.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

"Is it normal to give asylum seekers work permits? Does the work permit imply a right to stay in the country? Is the rejection of the asylum plea a game changer? Are the authorities making it up as they go along?"

I would say an element of (3) plus (4) THEM FURRINERS COMING OVER HERE TAKING OUR JOBS.

I'm really sorry to hear this and I hope this is soon sorted for the simple pragmatic reasons that (a) your friendship with Odi has brought you happiness and (b) they have been allowed to work.

I don't always think that people who seek asylum are doing so on political grounds - but to be honest I can't fault anyone for having the natural desire to move from a place with no hope and prospects to somewhere else. And given the length of time they have been here and the stuff I've already mentioned above, it makes more sense to let them stay at least for a while.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's the next move, I think. I believe it's in hand.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Odi and Peter aren't political. They're on the run from Peter's stepmother- who is gunning for them over the matter of an inheritance. Peter is his father's heir, but stepmama snaffled everything and wants to consolidate her hold on the estate by getting rid of Peter and Odi- who fled the country after being attacked and shot at several times by stepmama's hired goons.

If their lives weren't in danger they'd go back tomorrow.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

My apologies - The point I meant to make was "at this point it doesn't really matter why, there is good reason for them to stay in any case" but it seems to have ended up in my appearing to question the motives of your friends, which I never meant to do and have no right to do. I am sorry for that and for sounding as if I had jumped to conclusions easily and lazily, especially on such a sensitive issue on which far too many loudmouths are prone to perorate.

I hope either they get to stay or stepmother gets rolled over by a tractor or some other such instantly-killing implement.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No need to apologise. It would be better if Peter and Odi were political refugees. The British authorities don't seem minded to take stepmama seriously.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

cool, I'm glad - there's been a lot of hateful shit going on in Ireland recently and given I've done voluntary work alongside a woman who is making a claim for asylum, as well as knowing other people who have migrated here, and who are family, about whom ill-minded and ignorant people might make racist assumptions, I don't want to be in that number.

Recently a holiday camp converted to an asylum centre in North Dublin closed and there was a Facebook campaign to re-open it as a holiday camp again - and the amount of racist, vile shit on that webpage had to be seen to be believed. It was disgusting.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

I don't know anything about UK asylum laws but it does seem odd that a work permit would be issued without a permanency visa. I just read why they're seeking asylum and I'd say having your life in danger like that should qualify. But that would make too much sense, wouldn't it? Where are they originally from? I'd say legal advice is necessary. Perhaps if Peter gets a job that would allow them the visa they need?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I live in Oldham, which is about to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its "race riots". We have a splendidly mixed population- and racism is in the air we breath.

One thing I'm proud of is that- in spite of trying hard- the BNP has never managed to get elected to anything in the Borough.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They're from Cameroon. There are lawyers in the picture. Peter is highly employable- he's a personable chap and his qualifications- "A" levels and suchlike- are formidable. I agree that getting a job- and he seems to be on the brink of that- would help immensely.