Grandmother can stay with her family after ‘hostile’ visa fight is won
A grandmother threatened with deportation despite being married to her British husband for more than 40 years is celebrating after being allowed to stay with her family in Powys.
Carolyn Hirst, a 79-year-old South African national, was told by the Home Office that she would be deported after making an application for indefinite leave to remain.
She has been married to husband Michael since 1975 and the couple have lived with her daughter Nikki Blandin De Chalainin Aberedw, near Builth Wells, for the past five years.
The family has now been told Mrs Hirst has been granted indefinite leave to remain.
A petition, started by the family to fight Mrs Hirst’s deportation, was signed by more than 34,000 supporters in just a few weeks. She had faced an uncertain future had she been sent back to South Africa, with her family living in Wales and no means of supporting herself.
She and husband Michael said they had fled South Africa and sold all their belongings after suffering a violent burglary at their farm.
Mrs Blandin De Chalain said she and South African husband Chris had feared being separated from her mother who is also grandma to the couple’s nine-year-old grandson, Connor. Mrs Hirst had been the only family member without entitlement to reside in the UK and the Home Office, which has been criticised for the heavy handed “hostile environment” policy on immigration, had suggested the entire family should relocate to South Africa with Mrs Hirst.
Mrs Blandin De Chalain said the family had celebrated with champagne after receiving the news her mother can stay in the UK.
She said: “The deportation notice for my mother has been revoked by the Home Office and she has been granted her indefinite leave to remain visa. We would like to thank family, friends, strangers and the media for their support.”
