The UK has denied an eight-year-old Jamaican girl, Lati-Yana Stephanie Brown, a visa to join her parents, despite being left homeless by Hurricane Melissa.
Lati-Yana’s mother, Kerrian Bigby, a carer, and her British father, Jerome Hardy, a telecommunications worker, moved from Jamaica to the UK in April 2023. Kerrian left their daughter in the care of her grandmother.
After saving the £4,000 visa application fee, the couple who married earlier this year, applied in June for Lati-Yana to join them.
An urgent appeal was made to the Home Office to fast-track the visa decision for an 8-year-old Jamaican girl, Lati-Yana, after Hurricane Melissa destroyed her home, leaving her and her grandmother in an “emergency situation,” according to a report by The Guardian.
Lati-Yana’s house in Cash Hill, Hanover, was severely damaged by the storm. Her grandmother, who Bigby stated was no longer physically able to care for her, had been living there with the girl.
READ ALSO: What you should know about Hurricane Melissa as it claims over 30 lives in the Caribbean
Despite the urgent circumstances, Home Office officials have rejected the visa application.
In its refusal letter to Lati-Yana, Home Office officials wrote, “While it is acknowledged the effects of the natural disaster have significantly affected you and the wider population of Jamaica, I am also aware that you continue to reside with family members. Stating that your grandmother is unable to provide care, evidence of this has not been demonstrated. It has therefore not been demonstrated that you could not be cared for by relatives in the country you currently reside.”
Lati-Yana’s parents said they were devastated by the decision and would appeal against it. However, their lawyer said an appeals backlog of 106,000 cases meant it could take up to two years for the case to be heard.
Bigby told The Guardian, “As her mother, being separated from my daughter is incredibly painful. I cannot sleep at night knowing she is far away and not receiving the care and support that every child needs. The emotional toll on both of us is significant. Reuniting with my daughter is not just a wish; it is a necessity for her development and my ability to fulfill my responsibilities as her mother. I am so distressed; I can’t eat or sleep.”
She added, “I haven’t managed to speak to Lati-Yana since the hurricane but we spoke on the phone shortly before it hit the island. She understood it was something dangerous and she said to me: ‘Mummy, if we survive the storm you will hear from us but if we don’t then take care of yourselves.’”
Hardy also previously told the outlet, “We are just waiting for a decision from the Home Office in the hope that we can jump on a plane to Kingston, rescue our daughter and bring her to safety in the UK.
“The family home in Cash Hill has been completely destroyed by the hurricane and Lati-Yana is living in one room at the moment with 15 other people. They are struggling to access food and water. There is no school, and phone connectivity is difficult.”
According to Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, who is representing the family, the Home Office seems to be adopting a more restrictive approach to these types of cases.
“The Home Office’s approach demonstrates a troubling lack of compassion and understanding for a vulnerable young girl who is currently separated from her parents,” he said.
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Kandiah urged the Home Office to immediately re-evaluate its decision, emphasizing the need to “properly” safeguard Lati-Yana’s welfare and best interests. He further stated that the Home Office has a statutory obligation to treat the child’s best interests as a primary concern.
The visa application fee is split between the Home Office and an NHS surcharge. The Home Office receives approximately half of the fee, while the other half is an NHS surcharge intended to cover any future health service expenses for Lati-Yana. Although the surcharge is refundable upon visa rejection, the Home Office portion is not.
This means the couple will face additional costs of several thousand pounds to pursue their appeal.
The Home Office, through a spokesperson, commented that “All visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the immigration rules.”
The category 5 hurricane, which hit Jamaica on October 28, has reportedly caused at least 28 confirmed deaths, according to information from The Guardian.
The severe crisis resulting from Hurricane Melissa’s aftermath has escalated into a major crisis, prompting UNICEF to issue an urgent appeal for aid. This appeal aims to provide an estimated 1.6 million children in the affected region with essential supplies, including clean water, educational materials, and nutritional support.
