Finally together at last

A WORKSOP man is celebrating after his wife has finally won her long visa battle to move to the town from America.

Phillip Barry Lake, 55, is a retired policeman and former soldier from Carlton Road in Worksop.

He now owns a gym and fitness club in Derbyshire and runs a nutritional supplies business. He met his current wife Tamara Bianca Sahler, also a police officer, in Las Vegas in 2010. The pair were married in California in January this year. The couple had been hoping to start up a new life together here in Worksop - but Tamara’s visa application was refused - until now.

Phillip said that it was a ‘huge relief’ that there long battle was finally over.

“This has been going on now for months and I have parted wiht over £3,500 in legal fees,” he said.

“The whole experience has left a sour taste towards the Borders Agency, but now we feel delighted and like a massive weight has been lifted off our shoulders.”

Phillip has been very critical towards the Borders Agency - arguing that it was ‘disturbing, distressing and hard to believe that they would consider that a serving police officer would somehow attempt to deceive them’ after they went ‘above and beyond’ to meet the immigration department’s requirements.

Now, Phillip is encouraging others who are experiencing similar difficulties to remain vigilant.

“I would advise others to consult an immigration solicitor and go over the top to leave no stone unturned with the paperwork,” he said. “Basically - keep fighting and just don’t give up.”

Tamara will be moving to Worksop at the end of September, and the couple say that they ‘can’t wait to start their new lives together’.

“She’s just putting everything in place to head over,” he said. “She’s very much looking forward to starting a new life and sees it as a big adventure - especially the career change. Tamara is a trained gym instructor so she’ll be working with me.”