BritCits

Leanne

“My husband is my life and he's the best thing that's ever happen to me..it kills me every day I am forced to be without him”

Leanne is a British citizen. Her husband is Egyptian and therefore not allowed to live in the UK with
her.

Leanne met her husband in Greece, where he has lived and worked for over six years. They have been together for the last four, and got married in April 2013, in Greece. They know they will need to be apart for over six months – possibly twelve if not longer. Six months to show Leanne’s payslips and savings (she earns less than £18,600 but together they have £22,000 savings to supplement this for satisfying the financial requirement). Another six months or longer for processing of the application.

Although the financial considerations are in hand, Leanne is petrified her husband’s visa will be refused. Their view very much (not surprisingly!) is that UKBA seems to be finding reasons to refuse visas left, right and centre, often for spurious reasons.

At 31, Leanne already feels like she doesn’t have enough time. Her hospital has indicated she may be able to have IVF..another ray of hope for having dreams fulfilled; however they can’t take it further without her husband by her side. Leanne is scared..if her husband can’t join her any time soon, with that not only are her rights as a British citizen jeopardised, but so is her very natural human right to have a family

On 25th June 2013, Leanne cried tears of joy. This is the day she was returning from hospital after one of her regular checkups for cancer. She was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 20; after bouts of chemotherapy and surgery, she was told she would not be able to have her own biological kids, hence the IVF option so urgent and important.

However, the reason for the tears was the ray of hope for her being united with her husband. Leanne’s brother sent her a link to a BBC article, following which she watched a Newsnight programme telling her of EU providing justice where the British government snatched it away, via the Surinder Singh route.

The resulting questions though show more than anything that this route isn’t one taken lightly; nor are British citizens with non-EEA families expecting our streets to be paved with gold. They also show the shameful fear the government has successfully instilled in the very people it’s being paid to represent.

Does this mean I don’t have to be apart from my husband any longer?
Can the government close this route too?
How long do I have to be working there?
Can my husband work there as well?
Will my husband then be allowed to work in the UK, if we return here using Surinder Singh route?

At no point have there  been any questions on accessing benefits which under UK’s immigration rules non-EEA family members don’t qualify for any way. If anything people have been adamant that with their spouse here they would have less need to claim benefits because of the multiple incomes the family would be earning.

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An important, and relevant, piece of research -

Revealed: The financial cost of Theresa May's immigration policy.

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2013/07/09/revealed-the-financial-cost-of-theresa-may-s-immigrationl

The UK will lose £850 million over ten years as a result of new visa restrictions on foreign spouses of British citizens, new research suggests.

Analysis of the government's impact assessment from Middlesex University strongly suggests income requirements on foreign spouses could be putting an additional burden on the taxpayer.

"It appears the government got its sums wrong when designing this policy," said Dr Helena Wray, from the School of Law at Middlesex University, who co-authored the research.