Help us Keep our Home in Scotland

After redundancy and visa setbacks, we're fighting to stay in the UK. Help us raise £13000 to extend our visas by June 2027 and keep our family together.

Hi, my name is Desray Bothma, and I'm a mom of three amazing children (ages 14, 10, and 7), two of whom are on the autism spectrum. We moved from South Africa to Scotland in July 2022, hoping to build a safe, stable life and future for our family.

We initially came on an intra-company visa through my husband’s employer, only to later discover this visa did not offer a pathway to settlement. We fought hard to change our situation—borrowing money in October 2023 to cover the cost of switching to a Skilled Worker visa (over £16k). Just days after we approached his employer with the funds, my husband was told he was at risk of redundancy. Within three weeks, he was let go.

For six long months, he was not allowed to work due to visa restrictions. We survived on the loan meant for visa fees, desperately trying to stay afloat while he searched for a new sponsor. In March 2024, he finally secured a job with a new sponsoring company, and we’re incredibly grateful for this chance to rebuild our lives. However, are repaying them the over £6000 Visa fees.

Now, we face another critical financial challenge: my children and I must apply for visa extensions in 2027 to stay in the UK until we are all eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in 2029. The cost for these extensions is around £13,000*, followed by another £15,000* in 2029 for ILR for all five of us.

We do not qualify for any public assistance due to our visa status, and we’ve already paid thousands for Visa and NHS surcharges. Balancing these costs alongside daily living and loan repayments has left us with no way to save for what’s ahead.

We are asking for your help to raise the £13,000 needed by June 2027. Every contribution, no matter the amount, brings us closer to keeping our family safe and stable in the country we now call home.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story. If you can help—whether by donating or sharing—know that your kindness means the world to us.

With heartfelt thanks,

Des

Would you consider becoming a monthly supporter?

If you would like to help us a little each month, we have set up a PayPal account where you can choose to give regularly.

Monthly donations help us plan and breathe a bit easier.

paypal.me/DesrayBothma