Home Office Leaves Doctor With No Passport

www.homeoffice.gov.uk

A mistake by the Home Office has now left a surgeon with no passport, thus, disrupting his career plan. This simple mistake or blunder as it is being called was caused by a computer.

Dr Rajarshi Bhattacharya from Gosforth, Newcastle came to the UK about 10 years ago from India. Ever since coming to the UK he has worked in NHS ever since. Just recently Dr Bhattaccharya applied for his permanent residency status from the UK. However, he was told by the Home Office computers that he had not had a UK visa between the years of 2005 and 2007.

Dispute being able to show the Home Office his official passport, which had a valid stamp on it, the Home Office told him that the computer would not let him. The Home Office then went back and told Dr Bhattacharya that they would do some checks and contact him shortly.

However, more than four months passed, and the 37-year-old doctor was still waiting for a response from the Home Office. Also, because the Home Office had his passport, he was unable to go to International conferences on behalf of the hospital that he worked for. Also, his prestigious fellowship he is set to start in Edinburgh next month is now under threat.

Dr Bhattacharya, who now works for the Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, said that he has worked for NHS for more than 10 years and is a very well known doctor. This is the very last thing that he had ever expected as a "reward" from the UK.

A spokeswoman from the Home Office said that the case was being investigated, and they could not make any further comment on the matter.

For more information visit: www.homeoffice.gov.uk