Politics and Society

UK visa rejection for Zimbabweans attending grandchild’s funeral

The UK Home Office denied two Zimbabwean grandparents and an aunt visas to attend their five-year old’s funeral, on the suspicion that they might abscond

Published

10 years ago

January 22, 2015

Silvia Mwendia

The British Home Office denied Zimbabwean grandparents the right to attend their grandchild’s funeral in the UK. This is despite the British Prime Minister’s promise to step in.

The Zimbabwean maternal grandparents and aunt of five-year old Andrea Gada were denied temporary travel visas into the country.

The immigration minister, James Brokenshire, cited lack of evidence demonstrating that the three relatives met the requirements of the immigration rules. The rejection of the visas comes in spite of the Eastbourne MP, where Andrea was from, offering to personally guarantee that the realtives would not abscond.

The five year old girl, Andrea Gada died after being hit by a car just before Christmas.

Source: The Guardian