Visa woman wins deportation fight

Josie Pasane said she was "ecstatic" at being allowed to stay

A South African woman who had faced being deported after living with her family in Dundee for seven years has won her fight to stay in the UK.

Josie Pasane's sister and mother were allowed to stay but Josie was initially told she had to leave.

A petition with more than 3,500 signatures was drawn up calling for her to be allowed to remain in Scotland.

Following a meeting with immigration officials, the 25-year-old was granted permanent residency status.

The Pasanes came to Dundee in 2001 and in 2004 her mother and sister were granted permission to stay in the UK.

However, when Ms Pasane applied for residency at the beginning of this year she was turned down because she was no longer financially dependent on her mother. An appeal was also unsuccessful.

The Pasanes blamed poor advice from immigration officials for the situation.

It's vital that we stay together because we do depend on each other in all sorts of ways Josie Pasane

Local people and politicians launched a campaign to keep Ms Pasane in Dundee and she now has the right to remain.

Ms Pasane said: "I'm ecstatic, I'm overjoyed, I'm very very happy that I've been granted permission to stay.

"I'm very grateful for the tremendous support that I have had from Dundee, my community in Broughty Ferry, my church, my family and friends, and the support from beyond Dundee as well.

"Mum feels like a big weight has been taken off her shoulders now my future is in Scotland and I can start planning to go back to life as normal.

"We've been in Scotland for seven years and we regard Scotland and Dundee as home, and it's vital that we stay together because we do depend on each other in all sorts of ways."

A spokeswoman for the UK Border Agency said: "We do not comment on the details of individual cases.

"Where a judge invites the Home Office to consider the use of discretion in a particular case, we will normally review the case in the light of those comments and, if appropriate, in exceptional cases we may reconsider our decision."