Daughter of Fort George soldier denied visa
A soldier in the British Army has had a visa for his daughter to join him in Inverness rejected.
Last updated 25th Jan 2019
Denis Omondi is fighting the Home Office after a visa application for his 14 year old daughter Ann was rejected.
UK citizen Omondi is a Lance Corporal in the 3 Scots and has served for eight years, including tours of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Cyprus.
He found out he had a daughter in Kenya in 2012 and stepped up to support his child, including visiting Ann, and paying child support.
Due to family circumstances he now has full custody of Ann who is currently living in a boarding school in Kenya.
Denis submitted a visa application for Ann to join him in Inverness with his new family Shelagh and her two children.
The Home Office rejected the application and the family are appealing the decision.
Denis is currently away from the area on a training exercise, and his wife Shelagh spoke to MFR News:
'Ann had to be the one who made the application, so just before her 14th birthday the paperwork was sent to South Africa and was returned with a rejection letter which she had to collect.
'He is putting his life on the line for our country, the least we can do is let him be a dad.'
'My husband is devastated, he feels like he's letting her down. We have a house waiting for her, we have a room that is all ready for her, there are clothes in the wardrobe, the curtains and the lampshade are all her favourite colour; pink.
'How could anybody see a bairn stuck? I cannot imagine how she must feel.
'I have never seen Denis so unhappy. He is literally heart broken, he feels like he is letting his daughter down.
'He is putting his life on the line for our country, the least we can do is let him be a dad.'
MP Drew Hendry raised the matter at Prime Minister's Questions.
Theresa May asked the Home Secretary to look into the matter.