BritCits

Sunday evening links

Useful for those from Northern Ireland.

'Dear Home Office,

'I have searched on the Home Office website and have not found the information that I require. Therefore, I would request that this information be released under FOI.

'Please advise how an Irish passport holder, born in Northern Ireland but not holding a British passport, is viewed by the British government? Is this person automatically viewed as holding British Citizenship, regardless of whether he/she (under the Good Friday Agreement) view him/herself as exclusively Irish and does not hold a British passport?'

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/irish_nationals_from_northern_ir
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Previously :
British citizen forced to choose: your country or your family.

http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/british-citizen-forced-to-choose-your.html

A British citizen has been forced to renounce his birthright - his British citizenship - to be with his loved ones.

He is a Northern Ireland resident, which entitles him to Irish citizenship. Obtaining an Irish passport and going through the process of renouncing British citizenship - which he has held all his life - has allowed him to become a non-UK, EU national in the country of his birth. This has allowed him to live with his wife.
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'We're a family not a case number'.

http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/%E2%80%98we%E2%80%99re-family-not-case-number%E2%80%99

'Debbie Catwell is a British citizen. Her father served in the British Army for 23 years.

'Her husband, Robin, is from Barbados, the couple have been together for 20 years and have four children. The youngest is 8 years old.

'They live in Barbados, but kept links to the UK. In 2011, the Catwells’ decided to move back for the children’s education.

'Debbie said: “Initially, we didn't apply for a spousal visa. Robin came and went as a visitor as he owns his business in Barbados.

'“But when he came back in October 2012 he was asked about his frequent visits. He explained to them he had children and a spouse here. He was given one week in the country and told to go back to Barbados and apply for a spousal visa from there.”

'The family applied in December of that year, but were turned down as Debbie, who became a stay-at-home mother after her six-year-old daughter died of cancer, does not come into the £18,600 threshold.

'Debbie said: “Robin does not have even as much as parking ticket, so we thought it was an open and shut case. I was shocked when he told me we had been refused.

'“We appealed that refusal and we were promised an answer by July this year – but there is no news till yet.”

'As Robin cannot come to the UK until he gets his spousal visa, the family have been separated, which is having a “devastating” impact on their children, particularly their behaviour and schoolwork, said Debbie.

Reunite the Forde-Catwell family :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/a-mother-whose-husband-was-forced-to.html

Facebook campaign :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/440521456017147/

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The Voice | Immigration policy unfairly targetting the Commonwealth?

http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/immigration-policy-unfairly-targeting-commonwealth

'Until the end of 2012, parents and grandparents of UK citizens were able to migrate after the age of 65. They can now only join their loved-ones if they “need long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks, such as washing and cooking,” that is not available in the country where they live.

'Additionally, the UK sponsor has to agree to maintain, care and accommodate them without using public funds, such as benefits.

'And to have a non-EU spouse join you in the UK, you have to earn an annual salary of £18,600. This rises to £22,400 for families with a child and a further £2,400 for each extra child.

'During a parliamentary debate last month MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Diane Abbott, rebuked the Government’s attack on immigration.

'She said:  “It is...not true, as some people seek to imply, that immigrants cause low wages. That has been the anti-immigration attack since the 19th century. Immigrants do not cause low wages; predatory employers, insufficient workplace protection and weakened trade unions do that.”
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Theresa May under fire for bid to fly out hunger striker Ifa Muaza.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/30/theresa-may-hunger-striker-ifa-muaza-asylum-uk

'Private plane carrying 'near to death' asylum seeker forced back to UK.

'Home Office officials were refusing to comment on Saturday evening on an apparently botched effort to deport a seriously ill man from Britain by private plane. A jet chartered by the government was forced to return to the UK with Nigerian Ifa Muaza and immigration officials still on board, after a 20-hour flight that saw the plane prevented from entering Nigerian airspace. It diverted to Malta, where an angry dispute broke out with the authorities over the plane's right to use its airstrip.'
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Petition | RELEASE ISA MUAZU NOW - Don't let Isa die in detention!: Release Isa from Harmondsworth IRC immediately.

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/release-isa-muazu-now-don-t-let-isa-die-in-detention-release-isa-from-harmondsworth-irc-immediately

Posts about Isa Muazu :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/isa%20muazu