The pregnant partner of an equine dental technician (EDT) who was told he may have to leave the country next week has described the situation as “awful”.
Sophie Seymour, who runs a schooling and training business in Gloucestershire, has been with James Sheppard for two and a half years. But the Australian EDT has been in the UK for 12 years, and spent thousands on his application for indefinite leave to remain in this country.
Sophie told H&H James has had to “jump through hoops” on numerous occasions over the years, during which he has made a significant positive contribution to the UK economy, and finally, last year, was told that if he passed the “life in the UK test”, his application would be successful.
“He passed first time and said ‘Yes, that’s it’; he just had to wait for the leave to remain to be granted,” Sophie said. “Then this morning [6 December] we got an email from the Home Office saying that because he’d travelled outside the country, his application was withdrawn.”
The email said that James had to leave the UK by 17 December, or try to apply again, with no guarantee he would be accepted, and with all the costs and processes to bear once more.
“For over eight years, he’s been going to Germany and Dubai, twice a year, to do horses’ teeth,” Sophie said. “We’ve never been told he wasn’t allowed to go abroad, he’s always paid UK taxes on what he’s earned overseas, and even the solicitor we work with never mentioned it. If we’d known he wasn’t allowed to go abroad, he wouldn’t have done it.”
Sophie added that James has always paid his taxes – including £16,000 just before the Home Office email arrived – as well as taking care of UK horses’ teeth and employing and training British people.
“It just feels like they want more and more money from him,” she said, adding that her major worry is that hers and James’s baby is due next month.
“I don’t want to have this baby on my own,” she said. “I’m too pregnant to fly; people have said ‘Just go with him’ but if he got deported, I wouldn’t be able to go with him. It’s awful. He’s done everything he’s supposed to do but they don’t seem to care. I don’t know what to do next.”
H&H contacted the Home Office yesterday and today (7 December) a spokesman said: “Immigration rules clearly state once an application for leave to remain is submitted, applicants cannot travel outside the common travel area until a decision is reached otherwise it will be deemed withdrawn.
“We will be in touch with Mr Sheppard and are considering his application.”
Sophie added today that the Home Office said, given the circumstances, the withdrawal has itself been withdrawn, James’s application has been reinstated and a decision is due next week.
“I have no doubt that this complete U-turn has nothing to do with the circumstances, and everything to do with the negative press they have received since we went public,” she said.
“So many others have been deported in similar circumstances and it is so, so wrong. My heart breaks for those who aren’t so fortunate. The immigration system needs to change, hopefully our story will help that.”
You might also be interested in:
‘An urgent need for change’: calls for new veterinary law continue
Rider turns her grief into ‘something positive’ by helping problem horses
‘I don’t ever want to forget Roo or how he made me feel, but I hope by doing this I
Subscribe to Horse & Hound this spring for great savings
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
