UK visa fiasco for pastor and wife
September 04 2009 by Rebekah Nahai
Church awaits pastor UK visa approval
A pastor and his wife in Hertfordshire, England face deportation back to Canada after their UK visa application fell through.
David and Adria Jackson had moved to the UK in 2007 when David was instated as pastor of St Paul’s Lutheran church in Borehamwood. They had hoped to extend their two-year work visa before its August expiration date.
But the Jacksons did not receive the necessary documents in time to make a renewal application and their UK immigration status expired last week. Officials have given them 12 hours to leave the country.
Mr Jackson’s congregation has been described as “crushed”.
Martine Eni, a colleague of Mrs Jackson, said: “They were there one Sunday having services and the next thing they knew was they had to leave on the Monday morning. They were stranded and nobody helped. It was quite a shock and it has crushed the whole church.”
The services will be led by substitute pastors while the Jacksons await the UK visa decision in Canada.
Jon Ehlers, vice chairman of the executive committee at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (ELCE), said a visa extension application was made for the Jacksons last December. Administrative errors and missing documents have delayed processing and approval.
Ehlers said: “It is very distressing for everybody and we have to wait for the Home Office to sort out the paperwork. No one has been unhelpful, but there is nothing we can do. We just have to wait for a call.
“We hope they will grant him a return to his post.”
The Jacksons will have to reapply for a work visa at the British Embassy in Ottawa, Canada. They could be back in the UK by the end of the month if the application is approved.
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