Manikarnika Dutta, an Indian historian from the University of Oxford, who has lived in the United Kingdom (UK) for at least a decade, is facing deportation after the Home Office ruled that she had exceeded the permitted number of days abroad while conducting research in India, according to the the Guardian.

The 37-year-old's research included investigating archives in Indian cities and participating in overseas trips as part of her academic work. Dutta moved to the UK in 2012 on a student visa for a master's degree at the University of Oxford. She later obtained a spouse visa as a dependent of her husband.

Why Dutta Faces Deportation?

Reportedly, her work demanded extensive access to historical Indian archives, due to which she had to visit Indian cities multiple times and had to participate in international academic conferences.

However, as per the Home Office rules, individuals applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK on the basis of long residence are permitted to be outside the country for not more than 548 days in a 10-year period. Dutta spent 691 days abroad for her research, which is 143 days more than the prescribed the limit.

'Absence Of A family Life’

The Home Office not only rejected her ILR application due to exceeding the time limit abroad but also denied her right to remain in the country, citing the absence of a ‘family life’ despite her being married for over a decade.

Dutta lives in Welling, south London, with her husband Souvik Naha, a senior lecturer in imperial and post-colonial history at the University of Glasgow.

What Is Home Office?

As per Wikipedia, the Home Office (HO), also known as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigration, passports, and civil registration.