“I left Congo Brazzaville on 19 October 2015 and arrival in the United Kingdom the following day Claim Asylum. I left wife with seven children in Congo Brazzaville who was relocated to her parent for her safety due to my political activities in which under arrest and investigation. In 2017 my wife and children were relocated to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In December 2019, I had been granted Asylum in the United which allowed starting new life giving me the eligibility public fund and assistance.
In September 2020, when some countries started lifting they COVID-19 restrictions I started my family Reunion application through ECF exception cases funding approved Legal Aids given the size of family and my low income on which I could not afford to pay the Solicitors and DNA costs.
With the kind assistance of Together Now, who worked harder to assistance me financially with the TBs costs, Covid-test (PCR tests), travel arrangement /assistance, my wife and seven children were granted visa in March 2021 and joined me in the UK on 30 May 2021, after long Journey (flying from Kinshasa > Ethiopia >Egypt > London Heathrow.
The issues I faced to my family to the United Kingdom are as follows:
- In January 2021, passengers with UK VISA could not travel through EU Country without a Schengen transit visa. France embassy in Congo had refused to issue my family transit visa, due that my family TB certificates were expired.
- Due COVID-19 DHL refused to ship my family DNA samples that delayed the family reunion application. The Samples were shipped by FEDEX
- It was not easy to find the flights route for my family to travel to the UK due the traffic light system implemented for countries which have high case of Covid -19, flights were cancelled all the time.
We (me and my family) all could not forget the financial and travel arrangement received from Together Now”
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