A woman from the Welsh settlement in Patagonia was refused entry at Heathrow airport in London because customs officials did not believe that she was travelling to Wales to learn Welsh.
The settlement has been active in Argentina since 1865 and resident Evelyn Calcabrini, 20, was planning to spend six months in Glyndyfrdwy, Denbighshire learning the language of her ancestors.
Welsh MPs Elfyn Llwyd and Hywel Williams intend to raise the matter with Welsh Secretary Peter Hain. They were asked to intervene when Ms. Calcabrini was first refused entry.
Mr Williams said “I spent four hours on the phone trying to sort this out, trying to get hold of someone at the Home Office, and drew a blank.” He also said that UK Border Agency reviewed the decision internally but said there was no shifting on the decision.
The UK Border Agency said it ran a “firm and fair” system.
After a flight lasting approximately 15 hours, Ms Calcabrini arrived at London Heathrow, with a letter from the couple that she was to stay with confirming they would support her stay in the UK.
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She had arranged to stay with Eos Griffiths and his Patagonian-born wife Carina, at their home in Glyndyfrdwy. However, she was told she could not stay in the UK and was sent home.
The link between Patagonian and Welsh people dates back to 1865, when about 150 settlers sailed from Liverpool to Argentina in the hope of establishing a colony and preserving Welsh language and culture. “We will continue to have these problems unless immigration officials understand what the link between Wales and Patagonia is,” said Mr Williams.
A UK Border Agency spokesman said: “We have strict rules in place to protect Britain’s border and the responsibility rests with applicants to demonstrate they meet the requirements of these rules and will comply with any conditions attached to their leave.
“Where they do not, entry will be refused. The system is firm and fair, and it applies to everyone.”
The new Points Based System was introduced in the UK in November 2008. Sadly, despite a somewhat low key publicility campaign, people are still not really aware of it – even UK citizens who complain about immigration. It is now as difficult to enter the UK as it is Australia. I worked for a law firm in London trying to make employers etc. aware of the changes, every UK employee and British Citizen is now asked to take their passport into work to be copied and to prove nationality and right to work in the UK to comply with the law (people have done this but are still ignorant of the changes in the law). Even people with visas (Further Leave to Remain etc) have to reapply under the new rules and some of my friends partners and families have fallen foul of this change and been detained at Heathrow with threat of removal. This also applies to foreign students visiting the UK. Miss Calcabrini will have to apply as a student and the people she wished to stay with may have to obtain sponsor status and obtain a licence: 26/27 law firms in the UK can now provide legal advice re. sponsor status. I hope this helps other visitors to the UK and future students who wish to study Welsh.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/pbsdocs/statementofintent/studentsunderthepointsbased.pdf?view=Binary
I have created an online petition at the No 10 website.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/patagonia/
The petition states:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to make it absolutely clear to all the staff of the UK Border Agency that the United Kingdom consists of four nations and that the staff of the Agency should not damage Welsh links with Patagonia by refusing entry to people from Patagonia wishing to visit the Land of their Fathers.