A Fiji-born former British Army soldier is fighting to stay with his family in the United Kingdom after he was told to leave the country by August 9 following his involvement in a fight in 2010.
According to a BBC report, Isimeli Baleiwai, known as Bale, served in the British Army for 13 years, served in Afghanistan and Iraq, before leaving the Army in June and is married to a UK national with two children.
He applied for British citizenship in March 2012 because he planned to voluntarily leave the army in June, but a disciplinary action in 2010 means he is considered to have a criminal record.
Bale heard that he had been refused citizenship and would also be refused Indefinite Leave to Remain because he had what the UK Border Agency classed as a criminal conviction, and was subsequently required to vacate the country.
He said the fight that led to his conviction lasted less than a minute, and while he pleaded guilty and was fined US$1561, the incident is now preventing him from staying with his family in Britain.
Bale and his wife have written to their MP, the Home Office, Number 10, the Ministry of Defence, the Labour Party and former head of the Army Lord Dannatt to try to get permission for him to stay and so far they have had no success.