My name is Romario. I’m 30 years old and come from Hackney in East London. Despite being born in the UK, spending all of my childhood in the UK, feeling British and having a British accent I don’t have British citizenship.

My mother came to the UK from Antigua to live with my Grandmother and had me. After I was born she returned to Antigua, leaving me in the UK with my grandmother who, as I got older, was unable to care for me properly.

After an argument about me attending athletics training, my grandmother called the police. I was very good at athletics and was on course for a scholarship, but Social services were called and aged 12 I was put into care. I was eventually put in a supportive foster home, however neither social services, my grandma or any of my foster families registered me as a citizen. I was British and yet I was failed by the adults who were looking after me, they did not ensure that I had the papers I needed to prove I was British.

Aged 14 social services arranged for me to visit my birth mum in Antigua for what I was told would be a short trip. When I arrived, social services cancelled my return ticket, I had no way of getting back to the UK and I remained there until I was 21. This severely impacted my mental health, I felt like an outsider, and ended up dropping out of athletics and feeling totally let down by the system.

When I returned to the UK, aged 21, I had no immigration status which meant I struggled financially; I wasn’t allowed to claim benefits or apply for work, and at points I was forced to sleep rough. I now live out of London, away from friends and family and in fear of being removed from the UK.

The only way I can obtain my British Citizenship as an adult is by paying a £1,576 fee, however I have no money so just can’t afford this. Please donate so that I can re-build the life that was taken from me as teenager.