Ben Kerrigan
The Home Office has done a U turn on an earlier decision to expel a young doctor from the Uk. Mu-Chun Chiang, who has lived in the UK for 13 years, was told the due to an “administrative issue” she had to leave or face up to six months in prison.
It had rejected the application of a talented doctor because her bank balance was not allowed to all below £945 within the 90 day limit.
A petition calling for the 27-year-old to be allowed to stay in the UK has received nearly 40,000 signatures.
The Home Office reversed its decision and granted her leave to remain. British Medical Association council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said it was pleased the government had “finally seen sense”, adding that “the strong public reaction goes some way to showing the absurdity of the Home Office’s decision to initially deny a visa”.
Bank account inquiry
Mina Mesri, who organised the online petition, said: “Mu is delighted with the decision and incredibly grateful to every single one of you who has signed and shared the petition.”
She added: “It feels important to acknowledge that Mu is incredibly lucky that her profession is one that triggers such public support, particularly in a time when the NHS is in such crisis.”
The doctor, who is originally from Taiwan, lived in Glasgow from 1997 to 2002 with her parents, before returning to the UK in 2006 to study.
She received a letter on Friday stating her application had been unsuccessful and she “must leave the UK now” or she would “be liable to be detained and removed”.