Entitled to benefits

50plusabit

My sister has a chap living with her from her local church. He is from Africa, has lived and worked in UK for 6 yrs, married/seperated with a child. The mother told her solicitor that she feared he would leave the country with the child, so they removed his passport.
This means he can not work or earn money to help the child. He has sent everything to the home office( complete in Sept) , and his solicitor has said you just need to wait. That has been 3 yrs, living with others and having church handouts. Has anybody got any iea how long he will have to wait before he gets his passport back and indefinate stay?

dmg24

This is not a benefits issue. If the sol (being in receipt of the facts of the case) cannot advise on how long the wait will be, no one on here will be able to.

suelees1

Why can't he work without a passport ?

He needs an immigration specialist

Kimitatsu

He needs proof of leave to remain and of his visa to be able to work. He needs to get an immigration specialist on the case but it is unlikely he will have recourse to public funds unless he is married to a UK national anyway.

Chocolate80

One of my friends was in a similar-ish position in that her and her husbands passport were held by the passport agency for over a year (he is from Qatar and she is british). All they wanted when they sent off the passports was to get him a british passport (he has lived here for 20+ years and they've been together for 20+ years & married for 8 years).

So, they had a big fight on their hands to get their passports back because the passport agency were effectively holding my friend hostage in this country.

I would recommend that you get in contact with the local MP to get them to help in the fight. Have they said why they will not return his passport?

50plusabit

Kimitatsu

He is married to a british passport holder, she was born in uk, and holds a british passport and works in uk.

He has a "immigration" solicitor working for him, they are a charity and all give their time free, wether that makes a difference in their ability.
He is a very proud and private man, and feels that he is not entitled to anything. But he lives and handouts, and also my sister could do with some financial help also, she is struggling.