Sign the petition on behalf of L/Cpl Bale Balewai

Several members have been in touch with BAFF about the case of ex-Lance Corporal Bale Baleiwai, who after serving honourably in the British Army for 13 years, and despite having a British family, was  given three weeks to leave the country. The original deadline expired on 9 August. Please sign the petition on his behalf.

Update: Mr Baleiwai has now been given leave to appeal against the Army summary disciplinary finding upon which the UK Border Agency based its decision to refuse him settlement in the UK. The date for the appeal was to be announced later.

It was later announced that Mr Baleiwai has been granted temporary leave to remain in the UK to allow him to pursue that service disciplinary appeal.

Members wishing to help are strongly encouraged to consider signing this petition on the official HM Government e-Petition website:

• Isimeli Baleiwai - Responsible department: Home Office - We, the undersigned, believe that Isimeli Baleiwai be granted immediate "Indefinite Leave to Remain" and subsequently be granted British Citizenship for his service to the country in the British Army.

Please click the above link to get to the petition, which is a new petition, in addition to this one which many have already signed on the GoPetition website:

• We, the undersigned, call on the British Government to grant British Citizenship to Isimeli Baleiwai after 13 years military service with the British Armed Forces. We, the undersigned, call on the British Government to review immigration Law and Policy regarding Foreign and Commonwealth Soldiers.

Please sign the HM Government e-Petition, even if you have already signed the GoPetition one, as many of us already have.

Sign both petitions if you can.

Petitions CAN make a real difference as part of a well-organised well-argued campaign, which this is. The lead organisation supporting Bale is the charity Veterans Aid. We issued an offer of help on 16 July, but are assured that no additional help is required from us with this particular case, other than encouraging our members and site visitors to sign the petition.

The case also raises wider points of principle which BAFF does intend to pursue, irrespective of the outcome of the Baleiwai family's case.

Please support the Baleiwai family by signing the petition - both petitions if possible.

More about this

• Telegraph (Andrew Gilligan) - Commonwealth soldier kicked in the teeth by Britain
• BritishForcesNews 26.07.2012 - Fijian soldier appeal ruling
• Sun 31.07.2012 - Fiji-born war hero facing deportation can now fight to be British - 'A British Army war hero facing deportation has been given an 11th hour reprieve so he can fight to stay in the UK.'
• BAFF - Foreign and Commonwealth citizens serving in UK Armed Forces
• BAFF - March 2007: Commonwealth soldiers form Union