Lesbian woman fights to stay with her wife in Brighton

Hazel Mehmed, 40, and her wife, Deniz Alptekin, 47, moved to Brighton from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in December 2021.

The couple started dating in 2010 but “hid” their relationship for four years.

“It was really hard for us to come out because, unfortunately, you can’t live freely in Northern Cyprus”, Hazel said.

“Having to hide our real identity was really hard. It’s a small island, and people talk.”

Eventually, the nature of Hazel and Deniz’s relationship came to light, and Hazel believes that this led to both her and Deniz losing their jobs.

As Hazel’s mother is a “well-known person in government”, news of her relationship with Deniz travelled quickly and the couple suffered homophobic abuse and discrimination, as well as being ostracised by their families.

The couple fostered a dream of leaving their home country, but weren’t in the financial position to make a “big move”.

During lockdown, Hazel made contact with American film director Nicole Conn, who has directed many films featuring lesbian love stories.

Much to Hazel’s surprise, Nicole replied and organised for the couple to speak on a video conference with some of her fans.

Touched by the couple’s story, Nicole’s fans decided to fund the couple’s move to Brighton.

“With one bag each and hope in our pockets”, the couple “left everything behind” and made the move to Brighton in December 2021.

As Hazel holds a British passport, it was easy for her to move to Britain, and as an EU passport holder, Deniz could enter as a visitor.

“Our plan was to come to Brighton, try out the city, get to know people then apply for the appropriate visa”, Hazel said.

“We called EU Settlements and explained our situation. Deniz was granted a certificate of application giving her the right to live, and work in the UK until a decision on her visa application was made.”

With the certificate, Deniz was able to get a job, put her name to bills and open joint bank accounts with Hazel. The couple also got married.

“We formed friendships and a community”, Hazel said.

“We felt safe and happy and were able to express ourselves. Back in Cyprus, saying ‘I’m a lesbian’ is like saying ‘I’m a criminal’. Here if you say that people say ‘ok, so?’

“We have been able to walk hand in hand and hug - we cried at our first pride.”

But after two and a half years, Deniz’s application for the EU settlement scheme was denied because the couple “didn’t have enough proof of our relationship as partners”.

Hazel said: “We tried to explain that where we come from we’re not allowed to live freely and couldn’t do things like open a bank account together.

“I had a document which showed I had put her as a beneficiary back in Cyprus so we appealed again.”

After 10 month of waiting for the appeal decision, another refusal came – this time due to “passport confusion”. After an administrative review and another six months of waiting, the couple felt “lonely and hopeless”.

“Our friends decide to start a GoFundMe and within 48 hours we were almost halfway to our target”, Hazel said.

 “With love and support they made us stay strong and with the money we could get legal help.

“We have been married for two years and after sleepless nights and a lot of studying Deniz passed her English test having come here with none.

“When we applied to Brighton and Hove City Council to marry, we were interviewed in different rooms – Deniz with a Turkish interpreter – to see if we were genuine partners and the Home Office approved it.

“The same Home Office who back in 2022 approved our marriage are still questioning us now.”

Last week the couple received the bad news that Deniz’s new application, this time for a spouse visa, had been refused.

“The application was refused because they said it was a breach of immigration rules that she has been living so long without a visa, but it’s because of them that we don’t have a visa”, Hazel said.

“Whatever they told us, we did it.”

Deniz now has two options: to appeal yet again or leave the UK for 30 days and re-apply for the spouse visa.

“To do that I need to be a millionaire”, Hazel said. “We would have to pay HIS (Immigration Health Surcharge), the cost of a new application and accommodation for my wife to live outside the UK for a month.

“I have no hope left – how many times these hopes have turned into trauma.

“Deniz is suffering panic attacks, breathlessness and she is perimenopausal because of the stress.

“We don’t feel settled, and we don’t feel safe.

“She is being treated like a number, not a human being. We’re so angry and frustrated.”

The Home Office said it does not comment on individual cases.