Georgina Bond has been separated from her Iraqi-born husband Rzegar Salh (Rez) since last July when he returned to Iraq after being threatened with deportation.

It means Rez has missed seeing his daughter, Joanna, grow from a six-month-old baby to a two-year-old toddler.

"It has been so hard. He has not seen Joanna for over a year and she has changed so much in that time, and it is time he will never be able to get back," said Georgina.

Rez, who is Kurdish, came to this country in 2000 to seek asylum after his family suffered beatings and threats back in Iraq.

However, his application was refused in 2003 but instead of returning home the British government advised Rez to remain here while he appealed the decision.

He was ordered to sign on at a local police station on a weekly basis. This was later changed to monthly and he was granted a National Insurance number and was allowed to work.

He met Georgina nearly four years ago and the couple were married at an Islamic ceremony in Hull.

After Joanna was born the family decided to legitimise Rez's stay in the UK and applied for residency, which was refused and he was told he would be deported.

"We took legal advice and decided that Rez should leave voluntarily rather than wait to be deported, so we bought him an airline ticket and he went back to Iraq. He was told he could appeal against the decision and that it should take about three months to get sorted out.

"On the Home Office website it states 95 per cent of cases are dealt with in three months, and that 100 per cent of cases should be completed within six months - but over a year later and we are still waiting.

"Every time I contact the Home Office I'm told they are making enquiries and checks - but won't say exactly what they are checking," said Georgina, whose only desire is to be a proper family.

"The Home Office has said there is nothing stopping us from being a family in Iraq, but until January this year when I went to visit Rez, I had never been abroad or even had a passport.

"It took Rez over six months to get a passport from his own country - so what chance do I have. I don't want to live in Iraq, I want to bring our daughter up in this country and I don't understand why we are being prevented from doing that.

"I honestly believe if we had just kept going on as we had before with Rez signing on monthly, we would not be in this situation, we would still be together as a family. It is like we are being punished for trying to do the right thing," added Georgina, who has contacted newly elected MP Steve Barclay for help.

Mr Barclay said: "I have been in contact with the Home Office concerning this case and I will be pressing for a response prior to the summer recess."

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "UK Border Agency staff have to carry out a series of forgery checks on all passports, as well as high levels of further checks on supporting documentation submitted with any visa application.

"If someone has been refused in the past, further applications require additional investigation which inevitably extends the time taken to reach a decision.

"We appreciate that it is difficult waiting for news, but it is vital to establish all the facts before decisions are made.

"All applications are considered on their individual merits, taking into account all evidence submitted and in accordance with the immigration rules."