No Recourse to Public Funds Nightmare

I've just been through the appalling nightmare that is the British immigration system. It is a soul-destroying expensive business and as someone born and bred here I dont think I would have gone through this has I known what was coming.

I met my African wife when she was on holiday here five years ago. On return to Zambia she had a child, our daughter, and arrangements were made for her return. I didnt think much of it at the time but my partner got a Zambian birth certificate for our daughter - first big mistake - and then some functionary in the embassy decided to add to my daughter's visa the nightmare phrase 'no recourse to public funds.'

Kate, now four, is profoundly deaf but was eligible for an operation for implants that would enable her to hear. I had to give up work to take her for weekly appointments in Manchester some 50 miles away and I still have to do this for speech therapy.

I claimed Disability Living Allowance in September 2009 and it was turned down on the grounds of immigration control not need. Even though, I discovered on the DirectGov website a statement which said immigration control was not necessarily an impediment to receiving DLA> This cut no ice with the departmental officials.

An appeal was lodged and this is due to be heard in August 2011. In the meantime she has received ILR so the appeal is just to determine whether the claim can be backdated. It will be turned down. This has caused us extreme financial hardship especially bearing in mind the cost of visas.

Now Kate is in the system, the amount of money they are throwing at us is unbelievable. Im not complaining obviously but life has been extremely stressful for two years because of that dreaded phrase, Why should my natural daughter be subject to this restriction. The answer is simply money.

The whole process is designed to save money and make it by exploiting people who have no choice but to pay up. Disgusting.