British Man Protests after Kenyan Girlfriend is Twice Denied Visa to the UK

A British national has shared his frustrations after his Kenyan girlfriend was twice denied United Kingdom visitor’s visa.

Chris Philps, a former West Sussex Fire and Rescue Firefighter and who currently works for Sky TV says his girlfriend, Chepkemoi Tallam has been seeking to visit him in the UK but she cannot do so because her application for a visa has been rejected.

The two met on social media in October 2009 and became very close after chatting for long via Messenger and WhatsApp.

However, Chris was diagnosed with pneumonia and a heart condition, which made him gain 50kgs in weight.

Chris says that it's through Ms. Chepkemoi's encouragement and relentless support that he's still alive.

He further says he has been able to lose the weight he had gained and has almost fully recovered thanks to the Kenyan woman's help. 

The two had been planning to meet but the fact that Chris had been confined in a wheelchair and had not worked for two years made it impossible.

His health status improved in 2017 and he began making plans to have his girlfriend visit him in the UK.

Chepkemoi who lives in Nakuru applied for a UK visa with Chris writing to the British High Commission in Nairobi promising to sponsor the entire cost of her trip to the UK.

He also promised that Chepkemoi would not overstay in the UK since she is employed and needed to resume work.

10 days after she applied for the document, she received an email informing her that a decision had been made.

She traveled to Nairobi from Nakuru but to her shock, she was told her request had been denied.

The British High Commission explained that there was no sufficient proof to suggest that she would return to Kenya after making the trip.

“It was quite worrying for me and it also appeared to question my right to be in the UK which as a proud British citizen who has served his country with pride, it quite frankly disgusted me,” Chris, who has previously traveled to Kenya to see Chepkemoi, says.

Days to Christmas 2018, the two decided to make a second visa application with Chris drafting another letter promising to sponsor his girlfriend's travel expenses and stay.

On January 7th, she received an email and traveled to Nairobi, but once again she was refused visa with the same excuses. 

She was also told she had insufficient funds in her bank account despite Chris pledging to foot all bills.

“I am saddened by the British government’s arrogant approach to this matter. Kenya gained its Independence over 50 years ago and I honestly believe it is about time that we stopped treating proud Kenyan people like Second Class citizens,” Chris notes who has now written to his local MP asking for help.