Donations to Wellesbourne man have helped him to stay in the country after he was threatened with deportation despite living and working in England since 2007

But thanks to donations and support from people all over Warwickshire Sid was told by The Home Office yesterday (Tuesday February 23) that he had been granted limited leave to remain in England with his wife Becky and their children Tyler, nine, and two-year-old Amie, for another 30 months until the time he next has to apply.

Up until April last year Sid had applied for limited leave to remain in England every 30 months.

But his most recent application - which was this time for him to be allowed to stay in the UK indefinitely - was declined due to complicated issues over him being able to prove he had not left the country for a period of time longer than 180 days since he has been living here.

This application, the process for which Sid says was delayed due to Coronavirus, cost him about £2,400.

Sid, who before the Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns was able to work both as a forklift driver at a warehouse and as a home care worker, is now faced with a loss of income while Becky only works for 18 hours a week as a nursery carer while looking after her children the rest of the time.

The family, like many others in these times, have been struggling to make ends meet and Sid was not able to pay an immigration health surcharge of £1,000 he had been asked to to successfully apply for limited leave to remain again.

Sid's wife Becky set up a JustGiving page to help the family raise the money and they were overwhelmed with the response with more than £2,500 being donated.

And now Sid has been able to pay the surcharge, he received a letter from the Home Office yesterday (Tuesday February 23).

It says: "You were informed on 07/12/2020 to let you know that your application would not meet the requirements for ILR (indefinite leave to remain) and that your application was being treated as an application for leave to remain under the Immigration Rules.

"You were told that you could be granted limited leave to remain if you paid the immigration health surcharge.

"You paid the immigration health surcharge.

"You qualify for limited leave to remain under the Immigration Rules of 30 months as a partner.

"You will receive your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) by courier within 7 working

days.

"It is your BRP, not this notice, that is the official document that grants you status."

Sid has thanked all those who have helped his family.

He said: "I can’t stop thinking about how amazing it is to have this kind of support."