Last year nearly 700,000 people from outside the EU applied to live in Britain. To succeed they must navigate our controversial immigration system. Every decision the Home Office makes has life-changing consequences and this series follows the stories of those desperately trying to stay in the UK and the lawyers tasked with helping them.

29-year-old Shankea is an illegal immigrant. She came to the UK 17 years ago to live with her Jamaican father but an initial visa application made by her father on Shankea‘s behalf was refused. Shankea’s illegal status wasn’t picked up until she applied to go to university - since then, four further applications to remain in the UK have also been refused. Shankea has been caught out by the hostile environment immigration policies, which encourages institutions such as hospitals, universities and landlords to check and report illegal immigrants to the Home Office. Shankea has very limited rights, she is unable to work, study or claim benefits and must report to her local police station to sign the Home Office register every month, knowing she could be detained and potentially removed from the UK at any time.

Nancy has lived in Britain since she was six years old and has brought up her children here. Nancy’s mum came to the UK from the Gambia as part of a movement of thousands of Commonwealth citizens that became known as the Windrush generation. Nancy’s only proof of British citizenship was a stamp in her Gambian passport, but that was stolen from her car along with her handbag. Six years after the theft Nancy’s status was questioned by the authorities when she wanted to rent a house. When she failed to provide proof that she was legally in the UK, Nancy had her housing and child benefits stopped, her children were blocked from attending university and the family lost their right to council housing and were placed in temporary accommodation. Now immigration lawyer Stephen Slater has taken up her case – determined to prove that Nancy and her daughters have every right to stay in this country.

Kingsley arrived in the UK seven years ago on a student visa. After several failed visa applications, he is applying for asylum claiming he didn’t know anything about asylum when he first arrived in the UK. Kingsley is claiming that since taking part in Cameroonian anti-government demonstrations in Britain his life would be at risk were he to return to Cameroon. Legal aid lawyer Mike McGarvey takes on his claim. Show less