Teh One Who Knocks
03-12-2014, 10:54 AM
By Mark Duell and Daily Mail Reporter
http://i.imgur.com/qUChv3e.jpg
A British mother has been left to bring up her daughter alone after her American husband was kicked out of the country – because he had cancer.
Distraught Lorraine Marx, 56, nursed her husband Ralph Marx, also 56, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
But the Home Office ruled he had become a burden on the taxpayer – despite having private health cover – after the NHS billed him £98,000 for the emergency cancer treatment he had received.
Mrs Marx, a former Royal Navy chief petty officer, watched helplessly as against medical advice he was escorted on to a plane and deported.
The couple, from Chidham in West Sussex, who have a ten-year-old daughter, Alexandra, married in 2001 but Mr Marx chose not to apply for residency status. It meant the chemical engineer was allowed to stay in Britain for only six months at a time, but his work for an international company meant he often travelled abroad on business so the limit was not an issue.
But his cancer diagnosis and hospital treatment meant he was at risk of over-staying his visitor status.
Mr Marx surrendered his passport in 2012 and applied for UK residency. However, the Home Office rejected it and ordered he leave Britain immediately. A later application from his new home in Tennessee was also rejected when the Home Office ruled he was at risk of drawing on public funds.
But Mrs Marx claims when her husband was taken into hospital she revealed he had private health cover but was told that because his life was at risk his treatment would be on the NHS.
She said: ‘I pointed out that Ralph wasn’t British but they were wonderful, telling me not to worry – as my husband, he was entitled to treatment.’
A judge upheld the family’s appeal in January, but the Home Office is contesting the decision and Mr Marx continues to live in America. The case is to be heard tomorrow.
Schoolgirl Alexandra has seen her father only once in the past year.
Mr Marx is currently in remission but has not had access to his medical team since he has been away.
Mrs Marx said: ‘I was stunned when the Home Office rejected Ralph’s application. We’d tried so hard to be positive, and after Ralph had been so sick it was almost too much to bear.
‘To then receive the NHS bill made me feel like someone had thumped me in the stomach.’
The NHS has now dropped its demand for payment.
Mrs Marx added: ‘I just don’t know where to go now or what more we can do.
‘We’ve provided every document they’ve ever asked for and abided by all the rules.
‘With all the major issues the Government has to tackle, I can’t believe they are working so hard to keep a decent, taxpaying family apart. It can’t benefit anyone.
‘The only person I’ve managed to speak to at the Home Office asked why we don’t just go and live in America. But this is our home.
‘I’ve paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxes over the years and never received a penny in benefits. I understand that my husband is not entitled to any support – we’ve never asked for any.’
Mr Marx said: ‘The Home Office is well aware that we are financially stable for the long term.
‘I can only pray that I will get to see my family soon. I miss them desperately and hate the pain this is causing my wife and little girl.
‘We are not scroungers. We can support ourselves and have done so all of our lives. But we are being treated as criminals.’
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We are appealing the decision because we believe it did not apply the immigration rules correctly.
‘Our family rules have been designed to make sure that those coming to the UK to join their spouse or partner will not become a burden on the taxpayer and will be well enough supported to integrate effectively.’
http://i.imgur.com/qUChv3e.jpg
A British mother has been left to bring up her daughter alone after her American husband was kicked out of the country – because he had cancer.
Distraught Lorraine Marx, 56, nursed her husband Ralph Marx, also 56, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
But the Home Office ruled he had become a burden on the taxpayer – despite having private health cover – after the NHS billed him £98,000 for the emergency cancer treatment he had received.
Mrs Marx, a former Royal Navy chief petty officer, watched helplessly as against medical advice he was escorted on to a plane and deported.
The couple, from Chidham in West Sussex, who have a ten-year-old daughter, Alexandra, married in 2001 but Mr Marx chose not to apply for residency status. It meant the chemical engineer was allowed to stay in Britain for only six months at a time, but his work for an international company meant he often travelled abroad on business so the limit was not an issue.
But his cancer diagnosis and hospital treatment meant he was at risk of over-staying his visitor status.
Mr Marx surrendered his passport in 2012 and applied for UK residency. However, the Home Office rejected it and ordered he leave Britain immediately. A later application from his new home in Tennessee was also rejected when the Home Office ruled he was at risk of drawing on public funds.
But Mrs Marx claims when her husband was taken into hospital she revealed he had private health cover but was told that because his life was at risk his treatment would be on the NHS.
She said: ‘I pointed out that Ralph wasn’t British but they were wonderful, telling me not to worry – as my husband, he was entitled to treatment.’
A judge upheld the family’s appeal in January, but the Home Office is contesting the decision and Mr Marx continues to live in America. The case is to be heard tomorrow.
Schoolgirl Alexandra has seen her father only once in the past year.
Mr Marx is currently in remission but has not had access to his medical team since he has been away.
Mrs Marx said: ‘I was stunned when the Home Office rejected Ralph’s application. We’d tried so hard to be positive, and after Ralph had been so sick it was almost too much to bear.
‘To then receive the NHS bill made me feel like someone had thumped me in the stomach.’
The NHS has now dropped its demand for payment.
Mrs Marx added: ‘I just don’t know where to go now or what more we can do.
‘We’ve provided every document they’ve ever asked for and abided by all the rules.
‘With all the major issues the Government has to tackle, I can’t believe they are working so hard to keep a decent, taxpaying family apart. It can’t benefit anyone.
‘The only person I’ve managed to speak to at the Home Office asked why we don’t just go and live in America. But this is our home.
‘I’ve paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxes over the years and never received a penny in benefits. I understand that my husband is not entitled to any support – we’ve never asked for any.’
Mr Marx said: ‘The Home Office is well aware that we are financially stable for the long term.
‘I can only pray that I will get to see my family soon. I miss them desperately and hate the pain this is causing my wife and little girl.
‘We are not scroungers. We can support ourselves and have done so all of our lives. But we are being treated as criminals.’
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We are appealing the decision because we believe it did not apply the immigration rules correctly.
‘Our family rules have been designed to make sure that those coming to the UK to join their spouse or partner will not become a burden on the taxpayer and will be well enough supported to integrate effectively.’