An 80-year-old Polish woman who was facing deportation from the UK after submitting her visa application online instead of on paper will be allowed to stay in the country for five more years.
Elżbieta Olszewska who lived alone in the Polish capital Warsaw traveled to the UK in September last year on a tourist visa to spend time with her son Michał Olszewski, an aerospace engineer with dual nationality.
But when she applied for permanent residency so she could spend her last few years with her son, the application was rejected, immediately stripping her of her legal status in the UK.
On March 25, the British Home Office wrote: “Unfortunately your application is not valid and we are unable to accept it … The required application process for someone applying as a family member of a relevant naturalised British citizen is to use the appropriate paper form.
“Your application was made online. There is no right of appeal in respect of an invalid application.”
Her frustrated son told the UK’s The Guardian newspaper: “This is a country of law and democracy but this decision feels like it was made by a Soviet bureaucracy.”
But following widespread media coverage which sparked national outrage and even prompted an elderly Brit to propose marriage to Elżbieta, the government did a U-Turn on its decision.
Writing just a few days later, the British Home Office told Elżbieta: “I am pleased to inform you..." and confirmed her right to work, use healthcare and study in the UK.
Following the news, Elżbieta’s son said: “I am happy that this long journey with the Home Office has come to an end and the matter has been resolved positively.
“The whole matter was exhausting, but my mother is very happy with the new decision.”
But when she applied for permanent residency so she could spend her last few years with her son, the application was rejected, immediately stripping her of her legal status in the UK.
On March 25, the British Home Office wrote: “Unfortunately your application is not valid and we are unable to accept it … The required application process for someone applying as a family member of a relevant naturalised British citizen is to use the appropriate paper form.
“Your application was made online. There is no right of appeal in respect of an invalid application.”
Her frustrated son told the UK’s The Guardian newspaper: “This is a country of law and democracy but this decision feels like it was made by a Soviet bureaucracy.”
But following widespread media coverage which sparked national outrage and even prompted an elderly Brit to propose marriage to Elżbieta, the government did a U-Turn on its decision.
Writing just a few days later, the British Home Office told Elżbieta: “I am pleased to inform you..." and confirmed her right to work, use healthcare and study in the UK.
Following the news, Elżbieta’s son said: “I am happy that this long journey with the Home Office has come to an end and the matter has been resolved positively.
“The whole matter was exhausting, but my mother is very happy with the new decision.”
