Vietnamese man to be deported after being caught working at nail salon

A Vietnamese office manager living in the UK faces deportation after being caught working at a nail salon on his days off.

Thanh Quan Dinh breached his visa terms when immigration officers caught him carrying out manicures at the salon where his wife worked.

He argued that "I just did the tips, filed and coloured", insisting he only went to the business to chat with clients after dropping his daughter at school.

However, immigration officers questioned Mr Dinh, as employment as a nail technician was prohibited under his skilled worker visa.

He is now set to be returned to Vietnam after an immigration judge at the Upper Tribunal in London dismissed his appeal against the Home Office deportation order.

Mr Dinh and his wife and daughter, all Vietnamese nationals, arrived in the UK in October 2024 after he received leave as a skilled worker.

He was sponsored on a £39,000 salary as an office manager by AA XPRESS LTD, located in Blaydon-on-Tyne, near Newcastle.

His visa terms allowed "permitted supplementary employment" under immigration rules, but forbade other work.

On 18 July 2025, he encountered immigration officers whilst working at a nail salon called Angel Nails during an enforcement visit.

The immigration officers took the view that he was working there as a nail technician, which did not class as permitted supplementary employment.

He admitted that he knew it was not on the list of jobs that he was permitted to undertake.

On the same day, the Home Office decided to cancel his permission to stay in the UK with immediate effect.

Mr Dinh argued that the decision was procedurally unfair, made without establishing and taking into account the relevant facts, made without adequate inquiries, and made without "discretion" being properly exercised.

He claimed that on the day he had been caught at the nail salon he had been there since 9am to help his wife by doing one customer's nails and that he said: "I just did the tips, filed and coloured."

He added: "Every day. I come here after dropping [my] daughter off at school. I have been here all week between 9 and 3 as I have nothing to do at home."

The tribunal heard that he was on annual leave from his job.

He also claimed that he was not paid for his work at the salon and "just come for a chat".

Mr Dinh said that he suffered with irritable bowel syndrome, and the situation triggered severe symptoms including rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and abdominal pain.

Mr Dinh challenged the decision to cancel his visa ,claiming that he had not worked illegally and saying that he had not been adequately questioned.

However, the Upper Tribunal has now thrown out his claims and therefore he is now set to be deported.

Upper Tribunal Judge Daniel Sheridan said: "It is clear from the interview record that [Mr Dinh] was made aware – and understood - that the immigration officers were investigating illegal working at Angel Nails.

"It is also clear that [Mr Dinh] was aware that he was suspected of working as a nail technician in breach of the conditions of his visa.

"[Mr Dinh] was interviewed and open questions were put to him giving him an opportunity to respond to the allegation of working as a nail technician. In my view, the process was procedurally fair.

"I am satisfied that [The Home Office] acted in a procedurally fair way in respect of making it clear that [Mr Dinh] was suspected of working in a role that was not permitted by the conditions of his leave."