Toff held in an ‘immigration detention centre’ after losing passport pages

She was held for nine hours


Made in Chelsea’s Toff was held in an immigration detention centre for nine hours, after her passport had pages missing out of it.

Toff had just landed in the Maldives capital Male when she was prevented from leaving the airport due to her passport being damaged.

Toff managed to leave immigration nine hours later after pleading to her Instagram followers to help her.

Toff posted on her Instagram story from Male arrivals that she was unable to leave the airport, or get on a different flight. She said: “I’m really trying to hold it together. I’ve been here for hours and hours and hours and I’m not allowed to leave the airport on any flight because my passport is damaged, but I’m also not allowed to go into the Maldives, so I don’t know what to do.

“I’ve tried so hard to get in touch with any British representative here there’s no one here. I just don’t know what to do. I’m looking at four days in a centre until the next flight that will be willing to take me home. Can someone help me?”

Toff was then moved to a different part of the terminal, where she claimed she was denied access to a British consulate, and that her passport was taken off her.

Toff was moved to a different part of the airport, where her passport was taken off her

Once released, Toff posted on her Instagram thanking the British government and UK press for helping her be released.

She wrote: “I am typing this having just been released from immigration detention! I can’t quite believe it. I was genuinely trying to come to terms with spending the next… however long… in an immigration detention centre.Thank you so much to everyone who helped me. If I hadn’t posted online I would 100% still be stuck without my passport!

“This scares me because it is such a privilege to have a following on social media – people can hear me. What if I didn’t have a social media following? I can’t bear to think of another girl in the situation I found myself in where no one can hear you. Extremely grateful that the British government worked with Maldivian representatives. Pushed by the UK press too (so epic thank you!) Also thank you to Maldivian immigration for letting me in to your beautiful country!”

Toff said she made friends with seven airport staff, who were trying to make light of the “best bits” of the detention centre in case she had to spend Christmas there.

“I even had a laugh with the immigration officers in the end”, she added. “Oddly excited for the reunion when I leave.”

Toff ended the post saying: “Please everyone check your passports I didn’t realise that 2 pages had fallen out of the centre. SO SO traumatised but grateful thank you thank you thank you. Toff’s Christmas is back on.

“On that note wonder what I would have got on Christmas Day in the detention centre? Trying to make light of it but it was a really horrible experience.”

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