LISTEN: Family fighting deportation praise public support from people of Dingwall
Government asked to re-asses the case of the Brain family.
A couple whose great-grandparents were Scottish are battling deportation, having initially come to the country following 2007's Highland Homecoming initiative. Gregg and Kathryn Brain came to Scotland to study, with the intention of eventually working in the heritage industry. Kathryn’s student visa, which listed her husband and son as dependents, expired in December and the Home Office rejected their application for an interim visa so that the family could continue living and working here. As it is, the couple are not allowed to work and have been told they can only appeal from outside the UK. Gregg makes a point of saying that they fulfill several criteria of persons coming to the UK in that they speak the language, have integrated into the community, do not require benefits to survive and contribute to the economy through work. Also, as well as Kathryn and Gregg, there's young Lachlan Brain who's a model pupil at the local Gaelic primary Here are the words of Gregg and Kathryn themselves:- A Home Office spokesman said: “All visa applications are considered on their individual merits, and applicants must provide evidence to show they meet the requirements of the immigration rules.” A crowdfunding site has been set up by friends to help the Brains fight the deportation at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/backthebrains.