Nurse from Highlands trapped in Turkey with young son in wrangle over proof of UK residency after Turkish Airlines stopped them from boarding aircraft
A nurse and his young son from Nairn have been trapped in Turkey for four weeks after becoming caught in a wrangle over evidence of UK residency.
Father-of-three Ali Abunejmeh has lived in the UK for 15 years and has settled status.
He and his eight-year-old son, Sebastien, were on holiday visiting family in Jordan and the West Bank and were due to fly back to the UK via Antalya Airport in Turkey.
But in an interview with the BBC, he said they were not allowed to board the flight.
He said: "I hold a permanent residence in the UK and settlement status. The card that I have is expired.
"I was advised by the Home Office before travelling that I can show the carrier airline when travelling the status of my residency.
"The advice was that I would be able to prove my settlement status via the app I have.
"I tried to explain this to Turkish Airlines but they refused to let me board."
His settled status gives Mr Abunejmeh the right to live, work and remain indefinitely in the UK free of immigration control.
His wife is a Czech national and their three children all have British passports. But his wife and the other two children were waiting for renewed passports and so did not make the trip.
Mr Abunejmeh, who was due to fly home on August 5, told the BBC he has spent £2000 on food and accommodation and missed shifts at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness since finding himself stuck in Turkey.
A Home Office spokesman said it would be in touch with Mr Abunejmeh.
"Any non-EEA nationals granted settled status must carry their biometric residence card when travelling abroad and this should be in date," he said.
