Removal centres - advice on procedures appreciated

[Jwana]

Hi there

My de facto partner of 3 years was detained several weeks ago as he has overstayed his visa. He has since been moved several times to different removal centres.

We have a lawyer who has made submissions to the Home Office on the basis of my partner's family life in the UK. They haven't responded to the submissions as yet but have twice refused temporary release of my partner. So we have now applied for bail and the hearing is next week.

A few days ago I travelled down to be near my partner (in Morton Hall) as I was granted visits over 3 consecutive days. I had my first visit yesterday but my partner contacted me in the middle of the night to say he was being moved then & there to Colnbrook Centre in London. I thought this centre was for detainees facing imminent removal from the Uk so can he be moved there given that he has been granted a bail hearing and the HO has not yet responded to our lawyer's submissions? Also as he has no passport a phone interview has been arranged with his embassy but this is not until 12th Jan.

Any advice appreciated!

[Obie]

The can remove people it they have pending bail application, however they are required to serve a removal directions, i think 72 hours prior to departure.

It might be due to space shortage which is why he has been transferred, and there is nothing to worry about.

The fact there is no travel document means they really cannot remove him.

In his last monthly review, did the HO state what the position is?

[Greenie]

there are plenty of detainees at Colnbrook who have been there for in excess of 12 months...so not it is not just for imminent removal.

[Jwana]

Thanks guys.

In the end he was taken to Harmondsworth. He was told that he was due to leave on a plane that morning at 11am, then told that was the 'wrong file'. He was then told that he had an interview with his Embassy the next morning even though he'd previously been told this was to be a telephone interview on 12 Jan. Anyway, several days came & went & no interview and after a week he was shipped back to Morton Hall in order to be taken to Stoke-on-Trent for his bail hearing. But despite putting up a large surety & being told he had a strong case for bail, he wasn't granted bail and so is still in MH.

The HO is yet to respond to our submissions and the bail judge argued that my partner presented a high risk of absconding before the Embassy interview so directed he be held until then. But then in her write-up she just said he needed to be held until the interview and then while the travel document was prepared prior to his removal - no mention of the submissions before the HO. We have hired a private lawyer for all of this so far but am rapidly running out of cash so my partner has applied for legal aid although have heard a few horror stories about that too.

I feel like we're in a cul-de-sac with no way out at the moment so if anyone has any suggestions what to do next, and where I can get some support in the meantime, that would be great.

Thanks!