“All we want is the opportunity to live together and be near family."
Rhys is a British citizen, and Natacha, his common law partner, is Canadian.
Rhys and Natacha met whilst Natacha was studying in England
as part of her undergraduate university degree. Now the having been in Canada for over four years, where Rhys was able to work, they are trying to figure out a way they can stay together in the
UK to be close to Rhys’s family, who are desperate to have the couple lose by.
Rhys has a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and is working
full time in Canada, whilst Natacha is completing a Masters degree in Sociology
from Queen’s University.
Of the two of them, Natacha has the greater earning potential; however, under the new rules, Rhys must be earning £18,600 for at least six months before his wife can join him, regardless of the fact that Natacha might earn much more. Indeed, Natacha was accepted by the University of Birmingham with a full fees bursary worth $20,000. If a leading British university sees Natacha as someone worth paying to have her in the UK, why does the British government see her as a burden?
It strikes them as bizarre that
Natacha’s earnings in the UK, and hence her taxes, are completely discounted,
as is any help from their family. If the aim of the policy is to reduce the
burden on the state, why not let Natacha’s earnings be counted too? Why not let
them show they won’t be a burden on the state?
Why not have requirements such as
mandating private healthcare cover from migrants? This would boost the
healthcare system and UK companies, whilst reducing the reliance on the NHS.
Their view is that if the issue is about migrants being a burden on the system,
then restrictions should be placed on work permits, rather than on British
citizens wishing to live with their family.
Rhys and Natacha are pleading with this government to understand and appreciate the difficulties these new rules are producing. All they want is the opportunity to live permanently together; they are a family, even if it is just the two of them.
Rhys and Natacha are pleading with this government to understand and appreciate the difficulties these new rules are producing. All they want is the opportunity to live permanently together; they are a family, even if it is just the two of them.
I have to say I completely agree with you: the system is totally devoid of logic and seems like it was written for the Victorian era, and is incompatible with the mobility of modern like. But in simple terms, it all comes down to money. Not just the money that Rhys and Natasha earn, but how much the Home Office can make. In their case, if my memory is correct, if they were to get married and have a spouse visa (moving a Canadian national to the UK) the Home Office fees are around £1200.
ReplyDeleteAnd the application is not simple at all: oh it might LOOK so on the surface, but the Home Office will look for the tiniest detail to refuse the visa and then its back to square 1. This is why paying solicitors to do the application, although seeming a lot, can actually prove cheaper in the long run.
I've just written a new blog on common Spouse Visa Refusals here: http://immigrationsolicitors4uk.co.uk/all/spouse-visa-refusal-feeling-world-apart/ It might not be what this couple need, or be the right route, but it is a general illustration of some of the hurdles.