Judge Linda Veloso is a sitting judge in the United Kingdom’s tribunal system, specifically serving in the First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
Judge Veloso has gained public attention in recent years due to high-profile decisions in immigration and deportation cases, including one that drew widespread media coverage in March 2026.
Judge Veloso is shown on the First-tier Tribunal Judges published on the Courts and Tribunal Judiciary website.
Judge Veloso Legal Bio
Linda Veloso was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 1996, marking the start of her legal career as a barrister. She accumulated significant experience in legal practice before transitioning into judicial roles.
In 2013, she was appointed as a fee-paid (part-time) judge in the First-tier Tribunal’s Social Entitlement Chamber, where she handled cases related to social security, disability benefits, and other welfare matters.
On November 25th 2019, the UK judiciary announced her full appointment as a Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, assigned to the Immigration and Asylum Chamber effective December 6th 2019.
Linda Veloso has been appointed as a Judge of the First-tier Tribunal on the advice of the Senior President of Tribunals, the Right Honourable Sir Ernest Ryder.
The Senior President of Tribunals has assigned her to the Immigration and Asylum Chamber with effect from 6th December 2019.
Linda Veloso, aged 47, will continue to be known as Judge Veloso. She was called to the Bar (L) in 1996. She was appointed as a fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal in the Social Entitlement Chamber in 2013.
Appointment as a Judge of the First Tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber: Veloso
| Judge Veloso | Immigration & Asylum |
At the time of her appointment, she was 47 years old and continued to be addressed as Judge Veloso.
This role involves adjudicating appeals against Home Office decisions on immigration, asylum, deportation, and human rights claims.
Judge Veloso career progression reflects a common path for many UK tribunal judges: starting with fee-paid judicial experience in one chamber before moving to a salaried position in a specialised area like immigration law.
Notable Case: The 2026 “Chicken Nugget” Ruling
Judge Veloso came under significant public and media scrutiny in March 2026 for her decision in the protracted deportation appeal of Klevis Disha, an Albanian national who had been in the UK since around 2001.
Disha, who had a criminal conviction and faced deportation, contended that his removal would breach his and his family’s rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to respect for private and family life).
The case focused heavily on Disha’s 11-year-old son (referred to as “C” in court documents), who has complex behavioural issues, sensory processing difficulties, a restricted diet, and struggles with certain food textures.
Evidence indicated that C had lived his entire life in the UK, received specialised support from his school, and was making progress in a “delicate ongoing process”.
The child reportedly did not speak or understand Albanian and had no familiarity with Albania.The Home Office opposed the appeal, including assertions that C spoke Albanian as a first language and lacked a formal autism diagnosis. Judge Veloso rejected several of these claims and ruled in Disha’s favour.
In her determination, she concluded that it was in the child’s best interests to remain in the UK with his family, where he could continue to receive established support.
She stressed that uprooting him would be unduly harsh, given his needs and the fact that the UK was the only country he had ever known. The ruling invoked Article 8 and placed the child’s welfare as a primary consideration.
The decision provoked considerable controversy and media headlines referring to the “chicken nugget migrant” case, arising from earlier arguments about the child’s limited food preferences (including UK-specific chicken nuggets) not being available abroad.
Several news outlets such as The Sun, GB News, and the Evening Standard covered the outcome, with some commentators criticising it as an illustration of human rights law hindering deportations. The Home Office stated that it was actively considering the judgment.
- Infamous ‘chicken nugget migrant’ wins appeal to stay in Britain
- Migrant criminal who said he can’t be deported because his son hates foreign chicken nuggets allowed stay in UK
- Albanian ‘chicken nugget’ migrant wins legal fight to stay in UK
- Criminal migrant beats deportation because his son hates foreign chicken nuggets
The full judgment in the case of Klevis Disha v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appeal Number: HU/60457/2023), decided by First-tier Tribunal Judge L Veloso and promulgated around March 2026 (hearing on 26th February 2026, signed 12th March 2026, published 17th March 2026), is publicly available on the official UK Judiciary website.
- Main judgment page: This includes a summary, case details, and a direct download link for the PDF.
- PDF of the full judgment
The three key values which are central to the role of judicial office holders (JOHs) in England and Wales are:
• Independence
• Impartiality
• Integrity
“Publicity is the very soul of justice. . . . It keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial….Where there is no publicity there is no justice”
Jeremy Bentham – Mr Justice Cobb: ‘Justice must be seen to be done’
Image of First Tier Tribunal Judge Veloso : xAI – Grok
Check out our articles on Dodgy Judges, Judges Salaries and Fees, Mr Justice Williams, His Honour Judge Melbourne Inman KC, His Honour Judge Richardson, His Honour Now His Dishonour, His Honour Judge Michael Slater, His Honour Judge Martin Davis, HHJ Farquhar, Do you Have to Bow to a Judge ?, Can you Email a Judge ?, Can you Criticise a Judge ? and the highly dubious Sussex Family Justice Board.
The Ministry of Injustice is not the Ministry of Justice nor is it affiliated in any way with the justice system, legal profession, police or any other law enforcement agencies.
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[post_title] was last updated on the 9th June 2026
