South Tyneside family's Christmas could be thrown into doubt

American citizen Alexander Papay’s future in the UK is in jeopardy as he fights being deported back to his home country.

The 27-year-old, known as AJ, was told in November, that his wife Lian does not earn the required £18,600-a-year to enable him to stay his application for permenent residency has been tuened down.

The decision is being appealed by his family.

Now, they have been told by immigration chiefs he has temporary right to stay until June - as long as he attends a detention centre in Middlesbrough every two weeks.

But the family have been warned that, at any point, he could also be detained.

He is due to attend his first appointment on Wednesday.

Lian, 31, who works as a PA said: “We received a letter on Friday from the Home Office stating they didn’t accept our visa application as they want more evidence regarding finances. AJ can either put in a new application or leave within seven days.

“On Monday we received a letter stating AJ has a temporary right to remain until June, as long as he attends a detention centre every two weeks in Middlesbrough, but it also states he is still liable to be detained at any point.

“His first appointment is the 21st.

“Hopefully they’ll not detain AJ when he attends. It’s been known to happen.”

The couple married in 2013 and have a four-year-old son, Jayden.

They met when AJ’s father and stepmum moved to South Tyneside.

Up until now AJ has been forced to fly back and forth from the US and sleep on friends sofas in order to fulfill Visa requirements.

If AJ is forced to return to the US, his wife says they will be left no option but to go too in order for them to remain as a family.

A petition against his deportation has been launched.

To sign visit www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-please-sign-my-petition-to-protect-my-childs-right-to-a-family-life-and-have-both-parents