Dear gentle reader, let’s conclude my story of seeking a new life here in the UK. In 2016 I had my first tribunal hearing in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The version of myself that entered the court building all those years ago was so naive and underprepared. I lacked proper legal representation. I was also emotionally unbalanced by my recent experiences, and clearly this showed: I received a refusal decision from the judge a few weeks later. It took me a long time to process this, and to regain my strength to battle the Home Office again.
In the years between 2017 and 2024 I lodged appeals against the refusal decision. It was relentless, but I learned a great deal about myself—and about what truly matters to me. I also learned to live my life with purpose. And so, when I returned to stand before the immigration tribunal in Bradford this February, I felt calm. As I walked in, I had a sense of the person I’ve become, of how much I’ve grown since I first arrived in this country.