BROUGHTY FERRY woman Josie Pasane, who is fighting to stay in Scotland after being denied permanent residency, could learn her fate today.

She is to face a hearing before immigration officials in Glasgow which could determine if she can stay in the UK.

The 25-year-old has become something of a cause celebre in her adopted home after more than 4000 people signed a petition urging the authorities to let her stay in Britain.

Her mother and sister have already been granted permanent residency.

But Josie was denied permission to remain as she was no longer dependent on her mother, despite claims that a government official’s advice had caused the problem.

The Abertay University graduate’s problems began when her mother and 22-year-old sister applied for permanent residence in 2004 after moving to the UK three years earlier.

She was told she could defer applying until February this year when her visa expired, however when she did apply she was told she should return to South Africa because she was not “wholly or mainly dependent” on her mother.

Josie claims a government official admitted she would have been allowed to stay if she had applied at the same time as the rest of her family.

Her plight caused a mass public outcry and she has received the backing of church groups in Broughty Ferry and local politicians.

Members of Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie’s staff will accompany Josie to the hearing at the Borders and Immigration Agency in Glasgow today because her legal representative is unavailable.

Mr Hosie, who personally delivered the petition to the Home Office in London, said he hoped for a posi- tive outcome from the meeting.

“I hope she gets a fair hearing at this review and there is the opportunity for all the circumstances of the delay in her making her application to be heard.”