A Jamaican great-grandmother who has terminal cancer in the UK has begged the Home Office to resolve her immigration status before she dies, but it has reportedly refused to expedite the case.

Eulalee Pennant, who arrived in the UK in 2001 and was issued a student visa, was granted discretionary leave to remain in 2019 on the basis of family life with her partner who is a British citizen.

 

According to Britain's Guardian newspaper, Miss Pennant's leave to remain ran out in January this year. 

 

The Guardian says Miss Pennant, 64, who is a Windrush campaigner, has made a new application for further leave to remain in the UK but is still waiting for the Home Office to process it.

 

The Jamaican has been diagnosed with cancer and given just months to live by her doctors.

 

Miss Pennant has no recourse to public funds, so she cannot access benefits that could make her final months more comfortable. 

 

Her Member of Parliament, Diane Abbott, wrote to the Home Office asking it to expedite her application for further leave to remain.

 

However, officials wrote in response that while they were sorry about her ill health, the application would not be expedited despite the limited time she has left to live.

 

In the letter dated August 6, the Home Office said the type of application Miss Pennant made does not have a target response time, and although they are considered as quickly as possible, there may be circumstances which result in an extended delay in the processing time.