Family’s Joy as Home Office U-Turn Allows Them to Stay Together in the UK

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After facing the harrowing prospect of deportation and separation from her husband and 10-year-old son, a woman is now rejoicing following a remarkable turnaround by the Home Office, allowing the family to remain together in the UK.

Previously, Malwattege Peiris had been instructed by the Home Office to leave the country, despite a court ruling affirming the family’s right to reside together in the UK.

Expressing her relief, Peiris stated, “We are overjoyed to have received the letter from the Home Office today, affirming that our family can stay united. With our son about to turn 11, it’s truly a double celebration for us.”

Peiris’s husband, Sumith Kodagoda Ranasinghage, an Italian citizen, had been granted pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme in 2020. Peiris and their son, Kevin, also Italian citizens, had applied to join him under the EUSS family permit scheme. However, their application faced delays due to the pandemic, and in April 2022, the Home Office rejected it, citing insufficient evidence of their family relationship.

Undeterred, the family appealed to the immigration court, where a judge ruled in July 2022 that their bond was genuine, affirming their right to reside in the UK together. Despite this, the Home Office continued to drag its feet, causing further distress to the family.

Following a legal challenge by the family’s solicitor, Naga Kandiah, against the Home Office’s failure to implement the court’s decision, Peiris was eventually granted pre-settled status in a letter dated Friday.

Kandiah applauded the decision but condemned the Home Office’s mishandling of the case, stating, “This highlights the Home Office’s tendency to misapply the law and neglect tribunal rulings, causing immense suffering to families like this one.”

While a Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on individual cases, the Peiris family can now breathe a sigh of relief as they look forward to building their future together in the UK.