A desperate father from Belvedere has spoken out after enduring months of his family being split up by delays in getting his wife of 10 years into the UK.

Roy Erusiafe, 43, who is a British citizen, met his 37-year-old wife Judy in Nigeria where they lived for the first five years of their marriage.

Mr Erusiafe returned to this country in 2013 to work, but has regularly gone back to Nigeria for visits since.

This year, Mr Erusiafe decided he needed to move his family to the UK to get proper care for his eldest son, David, who is autistic.

Mr Erusiafe and his sons all have British passports, but Mrs Erusiafe does not.

So the family applied for a spouse's visa to get her to the UK, which they initially thought would be straightforward and sorted within 60 days.

“I couldn’t wait to bring my family over,” Mr Erusiafe told News Shopper, adding he bought plane tickets for his wife and youngest son to fly to London.

However, on day 59 after the visa application was sent, the family received an email from the Home Office to say the application was “complicated” and a thorough investigation would need to be completed.

Now, 120 days and two cancelled plane tickets later, the family has heard nothing further from the Home Office.

“I really don’t know what to do anymore,” said Mr Erusiafe, who has had to drastically reduce his hours at work to care for David and his other son, Daniel.

“We have heard nothing at all. How long does it take for a decision to be made?”

News Shopper:

The family is desperate to be reunited.

Mr Erusiafe knows he made the right decision in bringing David to the UK, as his condition has improved and he is “talking much more” than ever before.

But he is struggling to juggle work as a taxi driver and picking his sons up from school – especially David, who has to come home at lunchtime every day.

“It is not fair. I work hard, I don’t have a criminal record and I pay my taxes,” Mr Erusiafe said.

Meanwhile, his wife is waiting for answers while she stays in Nigeria with their youngest son.

“She is very frustrated, obviously. She’s very unhappy. Extremely unhappy.”

Mr Erusiafe said he has tried everything to get information on the status of his wife’s application – and has even contacted his MP, Teresa Pearce, for help.

“I still haven’t heard anything, it’s a hopeless case.

“It has been a nightmare.”

News Shopper contacted the Home Office for an update on Mrs Erusiafe’s case.

A spokesman said: "All UK visa applications are dealt with as quickly as possible. However, when additional information is required cases may take longer to resolve.

"Given the medical considerations associated with the application the Home Office has agreed to look at this case as a matter of urgency.”

Teresa Pearce’s office said it could not comment on the case without Mr Erusiafe’s consent, but said the MP is aware of his plight and is doing everything in her power to encourage the Home Office to make a decision as soon as possible.