A young woman tearfully shared her predicament after being asked to leave the United Kingdom (UK) with immediate effect. Grace Onyinye travelled to the UK in 2022 for her bachelor’s degree. Photo: Stasha253. Source: TikTok Grace Onyinye’s eyes welled up as she narrated why her student visa was revoked despite having been in the country for three years. “I never knew that one day I would be in this situation. I feel so vulnerable and a bit in pain. The journey of three years, which I wanted to be celebrated so much and which everyone around me celebrated, has just ended along the way with no opportunity,” she shared amid tears. When did Grace Onyinye travel to UK? Grace said she travelled to the UK in 2022 to pursue her bachelor’s degree, and despite starting off well, she faced a difficult time after losing her father in 2023.
According to her, the loss of her number one supporter and sponsor left her broken, and she used work as a distraction. “It has been hell all through. I had no one else to turn to, and it was so hard that I had to attend my dad’s burial through a video call. I never wanted to be alone, so I took on jobs to pay for school and other expenses,” she stated. The young woman noted that she had promised to fulfil her father’s dreams for her by graduating from a UK university, and so she worked hard towards that goal. Grace said she wanted to achieve a first-class degree to honour her late father’s memory, so she could not feel guilty for not attending his burial in person. Grace Onyinye, a student in the UK had her visa revoked after exceeding stipulated work hours. Photo: Stasha 253. Source: TikTok Why did Grace exceed stipulated work hours in UK? While struggling to pay for tuition fees and other living expenses, the devastated woman shared that she unknowingly exceeded the 20-hour work limit set for students in the UK.
“I made a mistake; I overworked, and my employer sent me a message saying the office had called them. I gave my reasons and submitted them to the office, thinking everything was fine, but they didn’t listen to me. They asked me to leave the country with immediate effect,” she said. She shared a screenshot of the email from the UK government cancelling her visa and asking her to exit the country. To make matters worse, she was not given a chance to complete her studies as the university also withdrew her sponsorship. Grace said she requested the university to allow her to study online once she returns home, but her request was declined. “What am I going back home to do? Who am I going back to? I have nobody and nothing to return to,” she stated.
By Lynn-Linzer Kibebe
