Help one immigrant make her new land her home
Donation protected
It's never easy to ask for help, but we all need it sometimes. Have you ever been within arm's reach of your dream, and had the fear of being thrown out of your home while pursuing it?
I have, which is why I'm writing this with the hopes of bringing awareness fo the flaws in the UK immigration system while asking for help with my specific problem.
My name is Stephanie Baker, and I may have been born somewhere else but for the last 10 years I have considered Scotland my home. My original intention for moving here was learning; I realised I knew very little about Scotland and wanted to change that situation.
I am currently working on my doctorate in Brewing and Baking in 15th century Scotland, as a follow up to my Masters in Medieval Scottish Studies. Over the past decade, I fell in love with the culture of Scotland, and am dedicated to preserving knowledge of that history.
My life outside my research has been equally meaningful. I've met my closest friends and still enjoy enduring awkward cultural misunderstandings in ways I never thought possible. This country is my home. I even have a cat.
I feel that I am Scottish in every way except for the paperwork, and I now seek freedom from the constant fear of being shipped off by a system that doesn't appreciate my love for this country. A document to codify my residency isn't all that matters to me but it has a lot of practical benefits. I have lived here long enough to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which would allow me to remain here without sponsorship from an employer or university.
My fellow Scots will understand that the system who decides who stays and goes is inherently xenophobic and currently broken. I wish to change that so the system reflects the values of a fair and open society, but it would be impossible to help work towards that goal if I'm deported.
I'm just another immigrant trying to raise the funds to cover the costs of being legally recognised as Scottish, but my story reflects that of so many outsiders who have a similar love for this country.
Thank you so much for reading this. I hope you can help me stay in the country that I have made my home. Any donation would be helpful, but my total costs of the ILR application amount to £2448. And in return, I will continue helping to keep Scotland the country that I fell in love with. Any donations over what I need I will donate to immigration charities.
I have, which is why I'm writing this with the hopes of bringing awareness fo the flaws in the UK immigration system while asking for help with my specific problem.
My name is Stephanie Baker, and I may have been born somewhere else but for the last 10 years I have considered Scotland my home. My original intention for moving here was learning; I realised I knew very little about Scotland and wanted to change that situation.
I am currently working on my doctorate in Brewing and Baking in 15th century Scotland, as a follow up to my Masters in Medieval Scottish Studies. Over the past decade, I fell in love with the culture of Scotland, and am dedicated to preserving knowledge of that history.
My life outside my research has been equally meaningful. I've met my closest friends and still enjoy enduring awkward cultural misunderstandings in ways I never thought possible. This country is my home. I even have a cat.
I feel that I am Scottish in every way except for the paperwork, and I now seek freedom from the constant fear of being shipped off by a system that doesn't appreciate my love for this country. A document to codify my residency isn't all that matters to me but it has a lot of practical benefits. I have lived here long enough to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which would allow me to remain here without sponsorship from an employer or university.
My fellow Scots will understand that the system who decides who stays and goes is inherently xenophobic and currently broken. I wish to change that so the system reflects the values of a fair and open society, but it would be impossible to help work towards that goal if I'm deported.
I'm just another immigrant trying to raise the funds to cover the costs of being legally recognised as Scottish, but my story reflects that of so many outsiders who have a similar love for this country.
Thank you so much for reading this. I hope you can help me stay in the country that I have made my home. Any donation would be helpful, but my total costs of the ILR application amount to £2448. And in return, I will continue helping to keep Scotland the country that I fell in love with. Any donations over what I need I will donate to immigration charities.
Organizer
Stephanie Baker
Organizer
Scotland