Family separated due to ‘callous’ immigration rules
http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/local/latest-news/family-separated-due-to-callous-immigration-rules-1-5960801
'‘Callous’ immigration rules have left a family separated by thousands of miles because a woman’s health prevents her earning more than £18,600.
'Scott Henderson has not seen his son Alex, 11, for two years.
'He is prevented from rejoining his family in Lakenheath because his wife, Leighsa Henderson, is unable to meet the Government’s financial requirements.
'Leighsa, 42, said: “Alex really missing his dad. He’s old enough to realise how long things are going to be.
'“It’s difficult having your partner so far away when they could be there to support you.”
Leighsa's story was previously featured here :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/leighsa-scott-we-dont-want-public-funds.html
Showing posts with label alex. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alex. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Leighsa & Scott
“We don’t want public funds, we just want a chance to be a family.”
Leighsa is a British citizen who met her husband Scott, in the UK more than 21 years ago when he was stationed here with the US Air Force. They spent 14 years together and had a beautiful son, Alex, in 2002.
The couple got married in 2005 and their marriage survived the pressures of modern life relating to juggling parenthood, work, relationships and even a period of separation when Leighsa and Alex returned to the UK from USA. UK is the only home Alex has ever really known.
However when Scott applied for a visit visa in 2010, he was refused as he didn’t have a job in the US. The couple went into battle against the Home Office in the appeals court and won a 2-week visit.
When Scott applied for a visit visa again a year or so later, he was once again refused, so Leighsa and Alex have not seen Scott for over a year.
Leighsa is working. But she doesn’t earn anywhere near £18,600. She does however earn enough to support her husband. However the immigration rules take no consideration of that.
Leighsa and Scott don’t have the money to fight the Home Office yet again. Alex needs to see his dad, his dad needs to see his son. A son who is 11 years old and in need of his father. A son who is going to start at a new school, on the verge of his teenage years when a father’s mere presence, let alone support, can make so much difference.
Leighsa and Scott are both experiencing issues by the enforced separation. Leighsa suffers from anxiety for which she is seeking medical help and little Alex is just depressed and crying a lot. This is yet another family resorting to Skype to ensure parent-child are able to ‘see’ each other, but it’s a route which doesn’t allow for hugs and kisses...the daily support. Maintaining a marriage with 3500 miles is also not a picnic. Being a single mother, especially when it’s not out of choice, is stressful.
Scott is a qualified computer technician - his earning capacity is huge. Leighsa is in university hoping to extend her own earning capabilities also – this is a family that does NOT want public funds. All they want is a chance to be a family, to raise their son in his country of nationality – UK - and do the right thing by him.
“We don’t want public funds, we just want a chance to be a family.”
Leighsa is a British citizen who met her husband Scott, in the UK more than 21 years ago when he was stationed here with the US Air Force. They spent 14 years together and had a beautiful son, Alex, in 2002.
The couple got married in 2005 and their marriage survived the pressures of modern life relating to juggling parenthood, work, relationships and even a period of separation when Leighsa and Alex returned to the UK from USA. UK is the only home Alex has ever really known.
However when Scott applied for a visit visa in 2010, he was refused as he didn’t have a job in the US. The couple went into battle against the Home Office in the appeals court and won a 2-week visit.
When Scott applied for a visit visa again a year or so later, he was once again refused, so Leighsa and Alex have not seen Scott for over a year.
Leighsa is working. But she doesn’t earn anywhere near £18,600. She does however earn enough to support her husband. However the immigration rules take no consideration of that.
Leighsa and Scott don’t have the money to fight the Home Office yet again. Alex needs to see his dad, his dad needs to see his son. A son who is 11 years old and in need of his father. A son who is going to start at a new school, on the verge of his teenage years when a father’s mere presence, let alone support, can make so much difference.
Leighsa and Scott are both experiencing issues by the enforced separation. Leighsa suffers from anxiety for which she is seeking medical help and little Alex is just depressed and crying a lot. This is yet another family resorting to Skype to ensure parent-child are able to ‘see’ each other, but it’s a route which doesn’t allow for hugs and kisses...the daily support. Maintaining a marriage with 3500 miles is also not a picnic. Being a single mother, especially when it’s not out of choice, is stressful.
Scott is a qualified computer technician - his earning capacity is huge. Leighsa is in university hoping to extend her own earning capabilities also – this is a family that does NOT want public funds. All they want is a chance to be a family, to raise their son in his country of nationality – UK - and do the right thing by him.
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Alex
“The parents issue is the most important thing to me and I will move countries if I have to rather than abandon them…but I shouldn’t have to leave my home when I can guarantee to look after them with no recourse to public funds.”
Alex is a British citizen from Dartford, Kent with Oxford University as his alma mater. A property
investor and entrepreneur in the UK for 12 years, he has financially supported his parents in Ukraine during this period as well.
His parents are both 65 years old, living in rented accommodation in Ukraine because they sold their property with the intention to move to the UK and bring their life savings with them. They have no relatives other than Alex and his wife. They somewhat know the UK, having stayed here for a month or two every couple of years, but travelling is proving more and more difficult with age and its unavoidable symptoms.
Alex has worked hard and is earning over £100,000 a year. He is not on benefits (indeed, he wouldn't even qualify). He wishes to have his parents with him here, to enjoy and share his success, after years of hard work and sacrifices made by them all. It's well overdue. His parents would not qualify for benefits in the UK, with a very clear no recourse to public funds stamped in their passport, but Alex is willing to sign a waiver, provide a guarantee and take out private healthcare cover to alleviate any such fears this government might have nonetheless.
However under the current immigration rules this is still impossible. Now Alex is not just going to shrug his shoulders and say, "oh well" and think by sending money to Ukraine his responsibilities are fulfilled. No, that’s not how he was brought up and it’s not how he would want his children to treat him. So Alex is considering moving countries. Going to another EEA country for a year or so where he can have his parents with him and then using the Surinder Singh route to return to his home, the UK, with his parents. What is being denied to him by the UK is allowed to him by Europe.
With his excellent credentials, he has already had job offers from Frankfurt and Zurich but does not want to leave unless forced to. For him though the parents issue is the most important factor at the moment and one for which he will move if he needs to. The point remains that he should not need to.
With him will go his money for a year, the boost so sorely needed by our economy.
Yes, Alex intends to return. But he might fall in love with his new home and never do so (supporters of Tory net migration target with hands up in victory are oblivious to the fact that by encouraging exile of our citizens we are damaging our own future).
Even if Alex does return, he won't forget what this government has done, and what the opposition has let them do. People never do forget when it’s their own family and family life that is threatened. And the saddest thing is - unless there's a change pronto, he won't ever trust the system in UK again, because it will have failed him.
“The parents issue is the most important thing to me and I will move countries if I have to rather than abandon them…but I shouldn’t have to leave my home when I can guarantee to look after them with no recourse to public funds.”
Alex is a British citizen from Dartford, Kent with Oxford University as his alma mater. A property
investor and entrepreneur in the UK for 12 years, he has financially supported his parents in Ukraine during this period as well.
His parents are both 65 years old, living in rented accommodation in Ukraine because they sold their property with the intention to move to the UK and bring their life savings with them. They have no relatives other than Alex and his wife. They somewhat know the UK, having stayed here for a month or two every couple of years, but travelling is proving more and more difficult with age and its unavoidable symptoms.
Alex has worked hard and is earning over £100,000 a year. He is not on benefits (indeed, he wouldn't even qualify). He wishes to have his parents with him here, to enjoy and share his success, after years of hard work and sacrifices made by them all. It's well overdue. His parents would not qualify for benefits in the UK, with a very clear no recourse to public funds stamped in their passport, but Alex is willing to sign a waiver, provide a guarantee and take out private healthcare cover to alleviate any such fears this government might have nonetheless.
However under the current immigration rules this is still impossible. Now Alex is not just going to shrug his shoulders and say, "oh well" and think by sending money to Ukraine his responsibilities are fulfilled. No, that’s not how he was brought up and it’s not how he would want his children to treat him. So Alex is considering moving countries. Going to another EEA country for a year or so where he can have his parents with him and then using the Surinder Singh route to return to his home, the UK, with his parents. What is being denied to him by the UK is allowed to him by Europe.
With his excellent credentials, he has already had job offers from Frankfurt and Zurich but does not want to leave unless forced to. For him though the parents issue is the most important factor at the moment and one for which he will move if he needs to. The point remains that he should not need to.
With him will go his money for a year, the boost so sorely needed by our economy.
Yes, Alex intends to return. But he might fall in love with his new home and never do so (supporters of Tory net migration target with hands up in victory are oblivious to the fact that by encouraging exile of our citizens we are damaging our own future).
Even if Alex does return, he won't forget what this government has done, and what the opposition has let them do. People never do forget when it’s their own family and family life that is threatened. And the saddest thing is - unless there's a change pronto, he won't ever trust the system in UK again, because it will have failed him.
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