A man fears he could be separated from his fiancéeand new baby if his visa is refused again.

South Ashford couple Scott Luers and Jamie Sykes, who is 14 weeks pregnant, are growing increasingly desperate after Scott’s application to stay in Britain was rejected for a second time.

The couple are now hoping that news of their pregnancy will convince the judge handling their case to let American Scott, who has lived in Ashford for a decade, stay in the country.

Mr Luers, 55, said: “We had no intention of having a baby right now. We thought we’d wait, but it’s happened.

“We were shocked when we found out. We are happy about it, but it’s an issue.

“The judge said no to my appeal.

“They said Jamie can chose to go to America with me, but she wants the baby to be born here. This is where we want to be. Our life is here.

“They said Jamie can chose to go to America with me, but she wants the baby to be born here. This is where we want to be. Our life is here" - Scott Luers

“Jamie is worried I’ll have to leave her. She says ‘I can’t do it on my own’.”

Scott and Jamie started dating in March 2013, and moved in together a year later. They then got engaged in June 2014 and have set a wedding date for August 2017.

Mr Luers initially had his application for a Further Leave to Remain (Other) visa rejected in June 2015.

Reasons given by the Home Office at the time stemmed from the fact they did not believe his relationship with Miss Sykes was genuine.

He appealed, but this too was rejected this month.

Their next step is to go to an Upper Tribunal. However, before this is allowed they need permission from the judge, which they have already asked for. All they can do now is wait for the decision.

Miss Sykes, 29, in a letter to the judge, has told how the wait is causing her “stress, anxiety and worry”, adding that she is losing sleep.

She says that the couple are having to rely on her wages alone and they owe family and friends money.

Mr Luers, who is unable to work while his visa is pending, said he remains hopeful that he will be granted a visa.

He said: “I am hopeful because the judge didn’t know we were pregnant when he dismissed it.”

The couple have also set up a petition online in the hope that Scott will be allowed to stay in the UK. So far, more than 250 people have signed it.

In it, Miss Sykes writes: “My fiance is an American who has lived and worked in the UK for 10 years.

“He’s always paid his taxes and NI and never been on benefits.

“His visa was refused on the grounds they made assumptions of validity of our relationship which have proven to be over two years.”