Conisbrough former Army-man told: "You're not British"

AN ANGRY dad claims he has been threatened with deportation - even though he and his parents were born and bred in the UK.
Daniel BryanDaniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan

A birth certificate mix-up has ended up with Conisbrough’s Daniel Bryan being told by the Passport Office that he isn’t British.

He said he had been informed he could not have a UK passport and would have to apply for citizenship - even though he has served overseas in the Army.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Passport Office also lost his children’s birth certificates and sent him someone else’s, he said, while other documents had also not been returned.

Daniel (31), of Wellgate, said all he wanted to do was take his children on a trip abroad.

He applied for passports for his children and himself in June but it was only when he heard nothing back and contacted the Passport Office that he learned there was a problem.

“They said I could not confirm my nationality through the documents I had sent them,” he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The problem was that Daniel’s mother had signed his birth certificate with a different surname to her birth details.

Single dad Daniel has tried to sort out the matter by contacting his mother but said he was still in limbo. 

The Passport Office told him to get a statutory declaration from her but this had not been possible because of her ill health, he said, and he had been told he could not get a declaration from a relative of his late father to clarify his situation.

Daniel said he had been branded an “immigrant” and told he would have to apply for British citizenship - a process which takes six months and costs up to £200.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They told me if I didn’t apply for the form my details would be passed to the Home Office and I would be deported,” he said.

“To be told that in their eyes I am not a British citizen because of a discrepancy on my birth certificate 31 years ago is quite shocking.”

Daniel said he had been given an identity card instead of a passport when he was in the Army which allowed him to travel in Europe so the passport issue had not arisen, and he had never been questioned over his nationality before, such as when he applied for a mortgage.

He has even worked for the government’s Department for Work and Pensions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Daniel’s case has been taken up by Conisbrough councillor Lani-Mae Ball, who said she was disgusted at the way he had been treated.

She said: “Daniel has lived in and contributed to this country since being a young man and has served in the Army and yet is being treated by the Home Office as someone who has no nationality.

A Home Office spokesman said the passport office needed to be satisfied of an applicant’s nationality and identity before issuing a passport.

He added: “In more complex cases, we will provide further advice to our customers to help them to provide the evidence that will satisfy these checks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We are seeking to help Mr Bryan to provide the evidence of his nationality so that his passport application can be progressed, and will be in further contact with him to identify if there are any other options available to obtain this evidence.”

The spokesman said Daniel was “not subject to any removal action” and had not had any contact with the Immigration Enforcement departetment.

He said delivery errors were rare and expenses caused by them would be reimbursed.