A Paisley couple trapped in Africa over red tape have finally been cleared to come home.
But Doreen Kathambi and her fiancé Iain Dunsmore may now be caught in anticipated tough new quarantine restrictions after arriving back in the UK.
They are expected to finally return to their home in Paisley’s Hunterhill this weekend.
Doreen, 36, and Iain had flown to Nairobi in Kenya in December for her father’s funeral.
When they tried to fly back more than two weeks ago, officials barred them from getting on the Quatar Airways flight.
Doreen, who works as a dietetic assistant at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, said: “I’m so worried about my job.
“I asked the airline officials if they could at least give me a document to confirm they had denied me boarding of the plane so that I could show that to my employer, but they refused to do so.”
On Tuesday, it emerged the visa problems had been sorted out after the Home Office intervened.
The couple’s neighbour Peter Stewart said: “They have been here a couple of years and are lovely neighbours.
“I have been so concerned that they make it back home safely and it finally seems they are on their way.
“I got a message from Iain saying they were fine and everything has been sorted.”
Kenyan officials told Doreen new EU settled status documents issued by the Home Office were not valid for travel.
The case raises concerns about the efficacy of digital documents issued after officials demanded additional physical proof from Doreen.
The couple had no problems flying out and arriving in Kenya, but immigration officials refused to let them leave again.
Kathambi said: “I presented my letter from the Home Office confirming my EU settled status, which said I could share my immigration status online, but they said that the advice given by the Home Office to prove my status online is not enough, I needed a visa stamped on my passport.”
Although she logged into her digital identity documents, which included a photo, and showed them to officials, they rejected this as proof of her status and said they would have to contact Home Office officials in London.
Doreen said her experience at the airport was very distressing and added: “They were asking me all sorts of personal questions about things like whether I was married.
“I kept showing them proof that I could travel. I even showed them my NHS work badge which I carry with me. But everything was refused. The whole thing was so dehumanising. I almost lost my mind in the airport.”
Chai Patel, of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: “We’ve warned time and again that digital only status will lead to discrimination – in particular against people of colour. Now we are seeing confirmation of this.”
A Home Office spokesman added: “We are in the process of making contact with Ms Kathambi to work with her on the best options to help her to return to the UK.
“A non-EEA national with settled status must continue to present their passport and biometric residence card to travel to the UK.”
