UK Resident Since Childhood, a Polish National, Secures Last-Minute Stay of Deportation Decision

A Reprieve for Mateusz Kulik: UK Last-Minute Deportation Halt

In a surprising turn of events, a 27-year-old Polish man, Mateusz Kulik, who's resided in the UK since he was seven, has been granted a last-minute reprieve from deportation. The Home Office halted Kulik's planned removal to Poland due to issues with his EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) application, despite providing extensive documentation to prove his lengthy residency in the UK.

Hailing from Ashford, Kent, Kulik has established deep roots in the country. He completed both primary and secondary education in the UK, and currently works for a UK transport company, where he handles custom documents for goods exported to the EU. Kulik's parents, an NHS support worker and a delivery driver, have also been approved under the EUSS.

Kulik's in-time application was rejected by the Home Office in January 2021, but he wasn't notified of the refusal until a year later, in 2022. After an administrative review, which wasn't completed until last month, Kulik's immigration status remained unclear. This uncertainty led to his detention at Heathrow Airport on September 18, following a holiday in Thailand. Kulik was held for eight hours, with immigration officers citing his lack of confirmed EUSS status as grounds for his detention.

Speaking to The Guardian, Kulik shared his distress, "I was devastated to be held for eight hours in a room at Heathrow airport on my return from holiday. I was searched and had my phone and wallet taken from me. I was asked why I was coming into the UK. I replied, 'because I live here.' I speak better English than Polish."

With the deportation scheduled for Monday, Kulik's lawyer, Andrew Jordan, from the charity Settled, which supports EU citizens, submitted a new application for EUSS and urged Home Office officials to delay the removal. Initially, officials insisted that the deportation would proceed as planned. However, on Sunday afternoon, just a day before the scheduled flight, the Home Office emailed Jordan to confirm that the removal had been canceled.

Jordan expressed relief, stating, "We were deeply concerned that they would press ahead with his removal and not wait a few days for another department to issue the necessary certificate of application." He added that the Home Office's systems showed credible evidence that Kulik had been living in the UK since 2004, when he arrived as a seven-year-old.

The ongoing challenges faced by long-term EU residents in the UK post-Brexit, particularly those with complex or delayed applications to the EUSS, are highlighted through Kulik's case. This complexity reveals wider concerns about the treatment of EU citizens struggling to secure their status following Britain's exit from the European Union.

Kulik now awaits what comes next with his immigration status, expressing cautious optimism, "Hearing this news I feel that a little bit of sun is shining through the clouds." A Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of the case, noting that it does not routinely discuss individual immigration matters.

Despite his extensive documentation of 20 years in the UK, Mateusz Kulik's EU Settlement Scheme application faced issues, leading to a last-minute reprieve from deportation.
Kulik, a Polish man residing in the UK since age seven, completed both primary and secondary education in the country and currently works for a UK transport company.
In the world of AI and general-news, Kulik's lawyers urged Home Office officials to delay his deportation, citing complexities within the EUSS application process.
As a long-term EU resident post-Brexit, Kulik's case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by those with complex or delayed applications to the scheme, revealing concerns about the treatment of EU citizens.
Describing his experience, Kulik shared, "I speak better English than Polish," exemplifying his deep roots in the UK despite his immigration woes.
As the European immigration landscape evolves, the impact of politics on spaces like Kulik's life unfold amidst the broader backdrop of related law and AI developments.