A Libyan woman who has lived in Scotland for the last decade is facing the prospect of having her dream of motherhood postponed for another 10 years, if at all.
The decision was made by the Home Office after an accident abroad prevented the woman from being able to return to the UK within a deadline, meaning that she was denied settled status in the UK.
MPs were told in the house of commons earlier this month, while hearing the care, that she had missed out on the chance to claim indefinite leave, which would have allowed her to stay in Scotland permanently. The woman broke her leg while she was visiting Libya to attend her father’s funeral, leaving her unable to travel back to the UK.
The accident left her out of the country for 22 days longer than the Home Office allowed, meaning that she will now need to wait another 10 years to be able to apply for indefinite leave, and thus, be able to adopt.
Labour MP Ged Killen raised the case, and told the Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington that the Home Office’s decision meant that she might never be able to become a mother. Killen, who works as an MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton west said: ‘The Home Secretary is aware of this case, and my constituent has been told that she will have to wait a further 10 years to reapply [for indefinite leave]’.
He added that this would be the only way his constituent would be able to start a family in this country, something which she is desperate to do.
He said that there are people across the UK who are going through similar situations, and that they are only being allowed to adopt when they receive settled status.
He said that he felt sorry for his constituent, saying that she had already been in Scotland for 10 years, and bar this accident she would have been eligible for indefinite leave.
He added that she had made the Home Office aware of her plans to visit her father in Libya when he was ill, as well as to attend his funeral, which was when the accident took place.
He said that the Home Office describe the situation as ‘unfortunate’, but showed no sympathy towards the situation, by saying she would still have to wait 10 years to be able to adopt.
Calling the Home Office obsessed, Killen said that they were only concerned about labelling his constituent, and not taking into account the fact that this might mean she would never have a family of her own.
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