Mum faces deportation from Greenock to South Africa over a visa row

Nadine McGuire, 29, and her family say they fled their home near Durban 12 months ago for a better life in Scotland.

She settled in Greenock with husband David, 39, and their two children Kailyn, five, and Kian, 21 months.

They say mechanical engineer David spent a year in South Africa desperately hunting for a job but to no avail because of increasing racial discrimination.

That, mixed with growing political unease, violence and poor healthcare, forced the couple to seek employment and safety elsewhere for the sake of their son and daughter.

They arrived in Scotland last April.

David, who has a UK passport along with the children, got a job within just four weeks and the family are settled in a flat in the west end with Kailyn doing well at school and Kian enjoying toddlers' groups with his mum.

Now their lives have been turned upside down after South African national Nadine was told last week that her visa application has been denied and she could face deportation.

They have just 14 days to appeal the Home Office decision but that looks set to cost them around £3,000 - money they do not have after already spending their entire £3,400 of savings on an initial rejected application.

Nadine said: "We're trying to appeal it. "Alternatively, they're saying we can all just go back, which is not an option, or my husband stays with the children.

"But they're very young and we don't have family here to look after them.

"Immigration lawyers say I have a very good case and a good chance of winning it.

"We've spent about £3,500 on applications, legal fees and NHS surcharges so far and we're now looking at another £2,500 on top of the cost of living and raising two young children. "David already works long hours and I can't even get a job to help pay for things until I have a visa.

"We need all the help we can get.

Nadine's application was rejected after officials deemed there were 'no insurmountable' reasons for her to remain with her family in Greenock, adding that modern methods of communication meant she could still keep in touch with them from afar.

She arrived with a visitor's visa but was assured a permanent stay would be rubber-stamped.

Husband David said: "It's a very stressful time at the moment."

David was born in Glasgow and lived in Clydebank before emigrating with his parents to South Africa when he was four months old.

His dad worked in John Brown's shipyard and also at Inchgreen in Greenock.

In recent times, life in South Africa become dangerous for the family.

Before he met Nadine, he lost 60 per cent of his blood volume after his wrists were slashed in an armed robbery at his flat.

Police then lost the case files for what was being treated as attempted murder.

Mr McGuire also had a gun pointed at his head during a robbery while playing squash with friends.

The thieves stole everything from equipment to the shoes and socks they were wearing.

David said: "I wasn't planning to stay around to see what happened the third time.

"Now we're looking for any help, support or advice at all.

"We're kind of stuck.

"Everybody I've spoken to is gobsmacked by this."

Government officials stand by the decision to deny the application.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The visitor visa route cannot be used to live in the UK for an extended period or permanently.

"The immigration rules state that applications for leave to remain as a spouse cannot be granted to individuals who are in the UK on a visit visa."

To support Nadine and her family, click the following link www.gofundme.com/fund-my-visa-appeal.