“I had my baby without my husband...it was awful!”
Kate is a British citizen who in December 2011, after three years together with the man of her dreams, married him in Chiang Mai, Thailand. They have been living together, in Thailand, since 2007.
The couple often spoke about moving to the UK and knew that once they had children they would want to be close to Kate’s family back home. Fune has been to the UK; he likes it here and gets on brilliantly with his in-laws. Kate’s parents have been out to visit them every year as well.
On such a visit in July 2011, the family looked into getting a visa ready for Fune to move to the UK. They decided it was the right time, what with trying for a baby and a new nephew Kate really wanted to be there for. Their plan was to spend Christmas in the UK.
To their utter shock and horror just as they were looking at the rules, the rules were being changed in just a matter of days, leaving them with little hope as EFL teachers, as is Kate’s profession, just don’t earn £18,600 in Thailand.
Kate and her dad scrutinised the rules; the only option seemed to be for her to leave her husband, return to UK, find a job earning over £18,600. Then after six months, sponsor her husband, endure a further separation process during the application processing. The couple came to terms with the idea that they’d have to be apart for quite a long time, when Kate received the news that she was pregnant.
Being in the UK was even more important now, with Kate needing her family’s support. They applied for a visa for Fune with the help of a lawyer, on human rights grounds. While in process, Kate returned home with their three dogs, as you can’t fly after the six month mark of pregnancy.
In January 2013, four months after application, they received the refusal letter.
Kate had her baby in the UK without her husband. They also appealed the decision...after all, how is Kate supposed to go and get a job paying over £18,600 when she has a baby to look after?
They were awaiting the appeal decision while Kate visited Thailand to be with her husband for two months; to allow father and baby to bond. However, being back in the UK, she is facing single parenthood again. Savings are spent fighting visa refusals, and making trips halfway round the world to keep the family together as much as possible.
Kate doesn’t understand why the government doesn’t consider that cost of living & salary levels overseas are not the same as those in the UK. How is it in the best interests of the child to be separated from Daddy? Why is the government forcing women to be single parents??!
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
Kate and Fune don’t want to raise their child in Thailand; healthcare, safety, education are all issues. The main reason though is they want their child growing up with grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles. He deserves that!!
Theresa May is keeping this family apart for no good reason. Kate’s parents are in a position to help out this family. Fune is an artist and tattooist who could easily find work here. With not letting Fune in, Kate is forced to claim benefits – how does that make sense? If they allowed Fune here, he’d work and Kate wouldn’t need government support.
Clearly, their argument of "burden on the tax payer" is a farce when Fune is ineligible from claiming benefits anyway.
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