A Ghanaian man, Nelson Shardey, has filed a legal case against the United Kingdom Home Office after being denied permanent residency despite having lived in the country for 42 years.

Shardey, a retired 74-year-old who arrived in the UK in 1977 to study accountancy on a student visa that also allowed him to work, believed he was officially British.

For decades, Shardey lived and worked in the UK, paying taxes and contributing to society, under the assumption that his residency status was secure.

However, he discovered in 2019 that he was not considered a British citizen. Despite his long-term residency and contributions, the Home Office informed him he would need to wait another 10 years before they could grant him permanent residency.

Shardey, who never left the UK and considered it his home, expressed his disbelief and frustration at the situation.

He recounted how he had taken on various jobs, including working at Mother’s Pride Bread, Kipling’s Cakes near Southampton, and Bendick’s Chocolate in Winchester.

He obtained a mortgage and lived a normal life without his residency status ever being questioned.

The issue came to light when Shardey applied for a passport to travel back to Ghana following his mother’s death.

The Home Office’s response indicated that he had no right to be in the UK, a revelation that came as a shock given his long-term residency and the fact that he had lived his entire adult life in the country.