Sri Lankan family faces deportation despite mother's UK visa extension: Children must leave

A Sri Lankan family living legally in the UK has been told that its two young children must leave the country despite their mother being granted permission to remain until 2031, according to a report by The Guardian.The case involves Varuni Arachchige, a care worker based in Perth, Scotland, whose visa has been extended by the Home Office. However, her husband and two children, aged eight and five, have reportedly been instructed to leave the UK despite living in the country legally since 2022.Arachchige told The Guardian the family had complied with immigration rules, paid visa fees and taxes, and established their lives in Scotland, where the children attend school.“We have been living legally in the UK since we arrived here on Christmas Day in 2022,” she said.“My visa has been extended by the Home Office until 2031. But my husband and children who are my dependents have been told to leave the country.”The family arrived in Britain under visa rules that allowed overseas care workers to bring partners and children as dependents. Those rules were tightened in March 2024 as part of wider government efforts to reduce migration.The case has raised concerns because the family entered the UK before the restrictions came into force.Another Sri Lankan care worker, Rasika Samarasinghe, said his wife and three children had also been refused permission to remain despite the family following immigration requirements.“We have done everything legally in this country and we have paid every single tax,” Samarasinghe said.“My children are all settled and doing well at school. The youngest only speaks and writes English.”Responding to the issue, a Home Office spokesperson said the government was pressing ahead with plans to reduce migration and reform the legal immigration system.“We will always welcome those who contribute to this country and wish to build a better life here. But we must restore order and control to our borders,” the spokesperson said.