ALMOST 14,000 foreign nationals are living in limbo in Scotland waiting for the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) division of the Home Office to tell them if they can stay.

And the MP who has been fighting the highest profile case – that of the Brain family in Dingwall – says the immigration system is in chaos.

Figures The National obtained through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to the Home Office show that on March 31, the number of temporary migration applications pending in Scotland was 8,065, and the number of permanent applications stood at 5,915.

Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP Ian Blackford said: “These are astonishing numbers and show the scale of the challenges we face with the Home Office. The whole system is in chaos.

“Our immigration needs are very different to those in the rest of the UK. We need families and young people.

“These figures demonstrate that the only way we will have a system that’s fit for purpose will be if Scotland has control of our own immigration policy.”

Kate Forbes, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, told The National: “I am absolutely amazed – the total figure is three times the size of my home town of Dingwall.

“Since being elected I have been astonished at the level of correspondence I’ve had from people with visa or Home Office problems arriving in my inbox.

“It is staggering that 14,000 people in Scotland are living in limbo because of these regulations, which demonstrate a complete lack of compassion for ordinary people.

“The UK Government is guilty of depopulating Scotland.”

In recent months The National has championed the case of Gregg and Kathryn Brain, who, along with their seven-year-old son Lachlan, face being deported from Dingwall, their home for the past five years.

We have also highlighted other cases: Jason and Christy Zielsdorf and their five children who are being forced to leave Scotland despite having invested almost £250,000 in a rural business – a community lifeline in the Highland village of Laggan; Mary Beard, a US citizen engaged to Scot Martin McGuire, and daughters Molly and Brianna; Australian citizen Evelyn Phillips, her Scottish husband Chris and their three daughters.

The Phillips family eventually won their appeal, which meant Evelyn would be able to visit her terminally ill mother in Australia, without worrying about not being allowed back into the UK.

Another disturbing case is that of Scott Johnson, an American citizen living in the Highlands with his Scottish wife Nicola and Lauryn, his Scots-born daughter, who had to apply for his visa from Scotland after suffering a major heart attack. It was refused, and is now the subject of an appeal.

Dr Paul Monaghan, the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP who has been handling Johnson’s case has written a furious letter to Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

He said his concerns centred on the “lack of natural justice”, the manner in which Johnson was being treated, and the length of time his case has taken. He has also had to hand over his passport while the appeal continued, which meant he missed his son’s wedding in North Carolina earlier this month.

Monaghan wrote: “I find it completely unacceptable that Mr Johnson’s application was denied by UKVI on this particular basis, which is clearly spurious. The basis of Mr Johnson’s appeal is that UKVI did not consider the evidence provided by him at the time to show that the couple are demonstrably in a stable, long-lasting and subsisting relationship.

“Specifically, Mr Johnson provided UKVI with substantive evidence of the family living together continuously… both outside of the UK and within the UK. You have advised that UKVI will not reconsider the initial decision to deny leave to remain and that the proper route is via the appeals process. This seems not only grossly unfair but inconsistent with the spirit of natural justice.”

The MP said he was “perplexed” at a Home Office statement regarding the “prevention of burden to the taxpayer”, and added: “It is clear to me that Mr Johnson provides a net benefit to the UK, particularly the local economy. Mr Johnson is of independent financial means and the family spend money locally, and contribute to the tax system paying things like Community Charge, Vehicle Excise Duty, VAT and consume goods and services.”

Johnson said last night: “I am obviously grateful that Mr Monaghan has taken the time to respond to the Home Office’s response with a clear and concise line of questioning.

“When so many people that I’ve spoken to all draw the same conclusions regarding my visa application it would seem that the Home Office would take a second look and amend and act discretionally where appropriate.”

Meanwhile, figures released yesterday showed the Government had again missed its target to reduce net migration to tens of thousands.

The Office for National Statistics data confirmed net migration – those coming in to the country compared to those leaving – at 327,000 in the year to March.

It is 9,000 lower than the same time last year, but still burst the Government’s target of fewer than 100,000.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “UKVI processes millions of applications every year so it is inevitable that, at any given time, there will be a large number which are currently being processed.

“We are exceptionally proud of the service we offer our customers and all of our casework routes are within our published service standards.”