A Ghanaian man Nelson Shardey who has lived in the United Kingdom (UK) for nearly five decades, has just discovered that he’s not yet an actual citizen of the country.
The retired 74-year-old man who has considered the United Kingdom his home for numerous years, now faces a complex bureaucratic ordeal while awaiting the home office’s decision on his permanent residency application.
Despite living, working, and contributing to British society for most of his adult life, Shardey has been informed he must endure a decade-long process before he can secure his status.
According to the BBC, Shardey’s journey to the UK began in 1977 when he arrived on a student visa to study accountancy. Over the years, he seamlessly integrated into British life, marrying twice to British women and raising two sons.
Throughout his career, he successfully managed his own newsagent business and received recognition for his courageous actions in facing a robber.
However, Shardey’s world took an unfortunate twist in 2019 when he applied for a passport to journey to Ghana for his mother’s funeral.
To his surprise, he discovered he was not considered British by the authorities. Despite having resided in the country for many years without any doubts, he was informed that he lacked the right to remain in the place he had grown to consider his home.
“The 10-year route to settlement is a punishment, and it’s not fair in any way,” Shardey expressed, emphasizing his financial and health challenges, including his recovery from prostate cancer.
His son Jacob, a research scientist, echoed his father’s sentiments, questioning the logic behind the prolonged process. “He’s been here longer than the people who are working in the Home Office on his case have been alive,” Jacob exclaimed incredulously.
Nelson Shardey Says He Can’t Afford To Pay For Settlement
Officials told him to apply for the 10-year route to settlement, designed for people who want to move to the UK for work.
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Over the 10 years, it costs about £7,000, with a further £10,500 over the same period to access the NHS.
“I cannot afford to pay any part of the money they are asking,” said Mr Shardey, who is recovering from prostate cancer.
“Telling me to go through that route is a punishment, and it’s not fair in any way.”
“I don’t understand why this fuss at all, because I put my life, my whole self into this country.“
When he tried to extend his right to stay in the UK online two years ago, he filled out the wrong form.
Shardey’s Quest For Justice
Shardey is pursuing legal recourse against the Home Office to seek justice, with the support of Nicola Burgess, a lawyer at the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit. “If Nelson was your friend or your neighbor, you would agree that he should be given the immediate right to settle,” Burgess asserted, highlighting the exceptional circumstances of Shardey’s case.
His case – which his sons are trying to pay for through crowdfunding – is that the Home Office should have treated him as an exception because of the length of time he has been in the UK, and because of his bravery award and service to the community.
“We know that at least one caseworker has looked at his file and suggested that he should be granted indefinite leave to remain because there are exceptional facts,” Burgess said.
“And when you look at it on a personal level, if Nelson was your friend or your neighbor, you would agree that he should be given the immediate right to settle.”
The Home Office has chosen to remain silent regarding the issue, citing the ongoing legal proceedings.
What You Should Know
Shardey’s journey through the intricacies of the legal system illuminates the obstacles encountered by numerous immigrants who, despite having resided in the UK for a significant period, encounter bureaucratic hurdles in their quest for permanent residency.
