Ghana’s Nelson Shardey Denied Citizenship in UK Despite Spending 42 Years There

A retired 74-year-old Ghanaian man, Nelson Shardey, who has called the United Kingdom home for nearly five decades, finds himself entangled in a bureaucratic nightmare as he waits for the Home Office to grant him permanent residency.

Despite living, working, and contributing to British society for most of his adult life, Shardey has been informed he must endure a decade-long process before he can secure his status.

According to the BBC, Shardey’s journey to the UK began in 1977 when he arrived on a student visa to study accountancy. Over the years, he seamlessly integrated into British life, marrying twice to British women and raising two sons. His professional life saw him run his own business as a newsagent and even earn accolades for his bravery in confronting a robber.

However, Shardey’s world turned upside down in 2019 when he applied for a passport to travel to Ghana for his mother’s funeral. Shockingly, he discovered he was not considered British by the authorities. Despite decades of living without question, he was told he had no right to stay in the country he had come to call home.