A 19-year-old British woman is facing every expectant mother's worst nightmare after becoming trapped in Georgia with her newborn baby, following a devastating visa rejection that has left her stranded thousands of miles from home.
Bella Culley, from Lincolnshire, travelled to the former Soviet state last November to spend Christmas with her Georgian boyfriend. What should have been a joyful family reunion turned into a living nightmare when she discovered she was pregnant and subsequently had her UK visa application refused.
Mounting Debts and Desperate Situation
The teenager now faces astronomical medical bills and legal costs, with her family back in the UK scrambling to raise funds through a GoFundMe campaign. "I'm absolutely terrified," Bella revealed in an emotional video from Georgia. "I never imagined I'd be stuck here alone with a newborn, facing these enormous costs."
Her situation highlights the hidden dangers facing British citizens travelling to countries with complex visa requirements, particularly during vulnerable life stages like pregnancy.
Family's Desperate Plea for Help
Bella's mother, Claire Culley, has spoken of the family's anguish watching their daughter navigate this crisis from afar. "Seeing your child go through this while you're powerless to help is every parent's worst nightmare," she told reporters.
The family's fundraising page details the staggering costs they're facing, including legal fees to appeal the visa decision and mounting medical expenses for Bella's prenatal and postnatal care in a foreign healthcare system.
Foreign Office Assistance Limited
While the Foreign Office has confirmed they're providing support to a British national in Georgia, their ability to intervene in visa matters is severely limited. This case serves as a stark warning to other young Britons travelling to countries with strict immigration controls.
Bella's story has sparked concerns about the adequacy of travel advice provided to pregnant British citizens and whether enough is being done to protect vulnerable travellers in similar situations.
As Bella awaits the outcome of her visa appeal, she remains separated from her support network in the UK, caring for her newborn in increasingly desperate circumstances that no young mother should ever face.
