Stranded Boy To Return To Sheffield

6 September 2018, 18:24 | Updated: 6 September 2018, 18:26

A six-year-old British-born boy stranded in Brussels due to a dispute over his passport will be reunited with his family, the Home Office has said.

Mohamed Bangoura was born in the UK in 2012 but had been staying with family friends in Belgium during the holidays.

He was due to return home to his mother on Sunday but was stopped from travelling after Belgian officials said the Home Office had told them he could not travel to the UK.

The Home Office has now said it will get in touch with the boy's family to make arrangements for him to see his mother, Hawa Keita, who lives in Sheffield.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "A letter was sent to Mohamed's mother in March advising her that her son's passport had been revoked.

"We understand that despite this Mohamed was taken out of the UK in July and last Sunday was unable to re-enter as he did not hold a valid passport.

"We will be in contact with the family in the next 24 hours to make arrangements for reuniting mother and son."

The Independent previously reported that Mohamed's claim to British citizenship had been in doubt because neither Ms Keita or her husband were settled in Britain when he was born.

Since 1983, children born in the UK are only eligible for British citizenship if at least one of their parents is a British citizen or is living in the UK with permission to remain permanently.

According to family friend Laurent Diallo, Ms Keita's visa to remain in the UK must be renewed every two years.

He said Mohamed's mother - originally from Guinea - could not travel to Belgium to be with him because it would require another visa.

Mr Diallo is looking after Mohamed and said the boy had been "very down" after he was stopped from going home.