'We are being starved out, it's a shambles': The Janson family of Scarborough tell of visa nightmare

A Scarborough nurse’s family say they are being “starved out” of the country by a Home Office visa delay.
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Vanessa Janson’s husband Carl and their three children have been waiting for months to find out if they can stay in the country after their visas expired, despite being told they could qualify for an extension.

Without a visa, Carl, 49 – who owns Lost Kiwi Coffee House on Aberdeen Walk – cannot legally work, and the savings they have been living off are now starting to run out.

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“We’re packing up because they are starving us out,” said Carl.

The Janson family: Mum Vanessa, Luka, 17, Greta, 15, dad Carl and Nina, 9.The Janson family: Mum Vanessa, Luka, 17, Greta, 15, dad Carl and Nina, 9.
The Janson family: Mum Vanessa, Luka, 17, Greta, 15, dad Carl and Nina, 9.

“It’s a shambles.”

The couple moved to the UK from New Zealand nine years ago, and to Scarborough four years ago. They live in the town centre.

They came here with ancestry visas and were then granted limited right to remain.

They were in the process of applying for all of them to receive indefinite leave to remain – giving them settled status in the UK – and saving up the substantial application fees, when Vanessa, 46, received a letter saying that, as she is a nurse, she and her family may be eligible for a year’s free visa extension as part of a bid to retain healthcare workers in the country during the coronavirus pandemic.

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As the extra year would allow the family more time to raise the funds needed for all four of them to apply to settle in the country, they were delighted.

They say they were told they did not need to contact anyone to apply, and that the UK Visas and Immigration would correspond with Vanessa’s nursing agency.

Concerned, the family still contacted the Home Office to check they were eligible but they say they were reassured it was in hand and there was no action for them to take.

But when the family’s visas expired in August, they had still not received their extension, and they lost their status to be in the UK.

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Vanessa lost her hospital shifts and Carl had to shut the cafe. In a desperate bid to stay here, Vanessa has since sent off the £2,500 application for indefinite leave to remain, even though her last visa has expired. That was granted, but because they have been living off their savings for several months, the family do not have the £10,000 needed to do the same for the rest of them.

Carl said they could move to Ireland and work there, or Australia or New Zealand.

“But we want to stay in the UK because we have a business here and the kids have friends,” he said.

“I’m disgusted with the Home Office. All it takes is a loophole and nurses are falling through the system and their families as well.

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“We’ve been starved of any income for nearly four months now. It’s despicable what they’re doing.”

Their youngest child, nine-year-old Nina, has spent almost her whole life in Britain and Carl fears his eldest, 17-year-old Luka, will not be able to finish his A-level studies if they do not hear if they can stay soon. Their other child is Greta, 15.

“The Home Office just needs to pull its finger out and honour that extension letter. If they can’t do that, why not?”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are incredibly grateful for all the hard work that health and care workers continue to do in the fight against coronavirus.

“Mrs Janson has been granted indefinite leave to remain and we are working to resolve Mr Janson’s case.”