Total number of spouse visas processed and refused by selected nationalities, 2016

Author : Steve

A while back I made this Freedom of Information request in response to an online discussion, as I was curious about numbers of rates of refusals for a balanced selection of different nationalities, including some of the most common countries for foreign spouses. The text of the request is here :

I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act.

1. Total number of spouse visa applications processed for the following nationalities from January 1 2016 to 31 December 2016 : 
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United States

2. Total number of refusals for spouse visa applications processed for the following nationalities from January 1 2016 to 31 December 2016 : 
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United States

This was for a whole year, to even out anomalies such as local holidays. The response is in (see link above) and includes data per quarter, with information about applications made, processed, refused, withdrawn, and lapsed.

The table below shows the numbers of refusals divided by the number of applications over the whole year, followed by a percentage of refusals/applications. Note this comes with a few caveats, e.g. withdrawals and lapses are included in the total so don't assume that every visa not refused was processed; however the numbers for withdrawals and lapses are very low and wouldn't make much difference to the overall figures even if excluded. Note also that an application made in 2015 or 2016 may not be processed until 2016 or 2017.

These are included without comment as there is likely more than one reason for the differences. However the results are enlightening and seem to match the lived experience of both BritCits members and members of other online support groups and forums.

Country Refused/Total = Percentage (2016)
Japan 17/272 = 6.3%
Argentina 4/42 = 9.6%
Australia 93/881 = 10.6%
SouthAfrica 99/834 = 11.9%
Russia 70/582 = 12.0%
Canada 73/517 = 14.1%
USA 371/2544 = 14.6%
Brazil 76/480 = 15.8%
Mexico 28/175 = 16.0%
China 222/1071 = 20.7%
Israel 19/87 = 21.8%
Thailand 242/1094 = 22.1%
Turkey 176/787 = 22.4%
Egypt 102/338 = 30.2%
India 1236/3888 = 31.8%
Pakistan 3032/7472 = 40.6%
Nigeria 555/1131 = 49.1%

Note to the reader : You can make your own FOI request at whatdotheyknow.com, and I think an FOI request is something everybody should do at least once in their lives.

BritCits Divided Family of the Week - Rachel & Ahmed

“We haven’t applied for a spouse visa yet.  The new rules have left us fearful and in a kind of limbo.”

Rachel is a 23 year old British citizen, a university student reading Arabic and Art History.  She is married to Ahmed, from Egypt. 

As part of her degree Rachel had the option of spending a year abroad in Egypt, Palestine or Jordan.  She opted for Egypt as three years previously she had visited Cairo to assess the suitability of her degree, where she met Ahmed during a flat search.

After Rachel left Egypt they kept in touch via Skype and three months later, she was visiting him in Egypt once again. Three months after that, he came to stay with Rachel and her family in Cornwall for Christmas.  Since then, they haven't gone for longer than 3 months without seeing each other, be it in Cairo, during term-time in London or with Rachel’s family in Cornwall.  

When they got engaged, they planned to marry during Rachel’s year abroad because a lot of her friends from university would be able to attend and balance out Ahmed’s big family at the wedding!

Rachel had heard about some new changes to the rules at the time, but didn't really think anything of it – she assumed it would be higher application fees or the like.  She never expected they would raise the income threshold to £18,600 p.a. and restrict financial support.  Indeed, a friend who had married an Egyptian was allowed to have her parents as providers of third party support for his visa (this was before July 2012).   As they knew Rachel would have her final year at university to complete, Rachel was also relying on her parents to do the same (and they were happy to), with Ahmed staying with Rachel during her last year in London.

Rachel is on course for a first-class degree and fairly confident of her earning potential after she graduates – however she firmly believes it should not just be her capacity to work and earn a decent salary which should count.  She finds it frustrating that neither the spouse's earning potential nor his financial situation are taken into account.  

If the government is so keen to ensure no burden on taxpayer, then given Ahmed will already have a clear ‘no recourse to public funds’ in his passport – surely it’s his financials which should be taken into account?  The same company that Ahmed works for in Egypt are currently advertising for the same job in England, with an annual salary of £36,000 - this is obviously much, much higher than the company pays their employees in Egypt.

Ahmed is qualified, has a good command of English and therefore good job prospects, which would be of great help to Rachel as a final year university student, in terms of rent and other expenses which Ahmed would help out with.

Rachel has never claimed benefits and has no interest in doing so, either.  Both their families are be able to help them out should they find themselves in a difficult situation – so no reason why third-party support should not count.

After three years of going back and forth -  though their relationship is more than worth all the travel they have endured – they are tired. They want to be able to plan their future but at the moment, in addition to the political instability in Egypt, everything seems so uncertain.

At present they’re applying for Ahmed’s family visit visa so at least he can come and visit Rachel while she is at university.  

Rachel considered putting off her studies to go down the Surinder Singh route, but that would pose an unnecessary financial burden – without much of a time saving on her completed her degree and going straight into employment.

She has however postponed her decision to do a Masters!

Political instability in Egypt aside, Rachel needs to be in the UK.  Her dad passed away, and she is the only child and grandchild.  While the government claim she can exercise her right to a family life with her husband elsewhere, what about her mum and grandma’s right to a family life especially when her grandma is not able to travel?

It seems to this couple that in their aim to bring down net migration, not only is the government keeping foreigners out of the country, but trying to encourage British citizens to leave too.

Rachel and Ahmed married in March 2013.  After spending an amazing nine months in Egypt, it's been hard readjusting to life back in the UK without her husband.  She barely feels like a newly-wed!

She considered staying back in Egypt for the summer, but thought it would be best to come back and work and try to earn as much money as possible to put aside for the future.  Ahmed is doing the same in Egypt.  

It really is demoralising to know that despite the no recourse to public funds, the couple may not be able to start to build their lives together until at least a year from now.  

It has put pressure on Rachel to find a job immediately after she graduates, which in the current climate of internships and focus on the importance of gaining experience (i.e. an acceptable form of unpaid employment) it is difficult for her to remain optimistic - but it's all they can do in the face of these new rules.

'A DISTRAUGHT Wadebridge woman is desperate to be reunited with her husband after the Home Office banned him from moving to the UK.'

'Rachel Preston, 23, is currently in her final year at university in London and under UK law is only able to bring her Egyptian husband in to the country if she meets an £18,600-a-year earnings requirement.'

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Wadebridge-woman-s-husband-barred-UK/story-20034921-detail/story.html#axzz2juKHTK5L

Rachel writes :
'... This is a massive kick in the teeth for those of us, British citizens, who are separated from their partners and in some cases their own children, due to Theresa May’s impossible immigration laws. In July 2012, the government introduced a minimum income threshold of £18,600-a-year for British citizens seeking family life in the UK with their non-EEA partner. The threshold is substantially higher if the couple have children. Furthermore, the government ceased to allow third-party support and only allow savings of over £16,000 to contribute to the financial requirement if British citizen’s income falls below the threshold. The devastating impact of these new rules can be seen here at BritCits, a group dedicated to campaigning for these rules to be overturned. '

http://mintteatime.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/theresa-may-in-the-best-interests-of-wealthy-global-businessmen-not-british-citizens/

Rachel and Ahmed's story :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/rachel-ahmed-we-havent-applied-for_25.html

Rachel grilling the Immigration Minister on the radio :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/rachel-isnt-this-arbitrary-requirement.html

Follow Rachel on Twitter :
https://twitter.com/hey_preston

Caught in the crossfire.

http://riveronline.co.uk/node/1997

'Amer Labania, 33, had a summer to remember – for all the wrong reasons. 

'Anticipating a peaceful summer, the Syrian-born economics student travelled to Egypt in an attempt to free his wife, Alaa, from the visa restrictions that separated them.

'Every day Amer had no choice but to queue outside the Syrian embassy under Cairo’s scorching sun among rowdy crowds of people.

'“We were really in a mess and we didn’t know what to do,” Amer says. “My number was 268 and I knew that I wouldn’t make it during that day.”

'Amer returned the next day before opening time, only to find his worst nightmare had become reality...'

UK Government save the family members of British citizens trapped in Syria! :

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/UK_Government_Save_the_Family_Members_of_British_Citizens_Trapped_in_Syria/

BritCits in Syria :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/syria

Emma & Haytham

“I will not be bullied into leaving my home, family, friends, job and life.”

Emma is a British citizen married to the love of her life, Haytham from Egypt. They have known each other since they were kids.

Their wedding on 29th of August 2012 was beautiful and was followed by a wonderful honeymoon. In October they applied for a six month visit visa as they did not have all the paperwork necessary to apply for a spouse visa at that time, namely the certificate to satisfy the new English language requirement.

However the Home Office decided December 2012 to refuse the application based on financial reasons,
despite Emma being in full time employment and earning above even the required threshold for a
settlement visa, and despite Haytham himself being in full time employment in Egypt, owning his own property outright and having substantial savings.

They appealed this decision immediately. In May 2013 the Home Office failed to submit a decision to the appeal by the due date, so Emma will now attend an Oral Hearing in October 2013 – a year after the initial visa application for a six month visa; fourteen months into her marriage.

Emma has travelled to Egypt four times since getting married. Although it is wonderful to have the opportunity to see her husband (as many don’t) it is not conducive to either annual leave at work or the purse strings to be going overseas so regularly. It also gets more and more emotional to leave him behind each time.

The process has taken an unacceptable amount of time for absolutely no reason at all. Haytham has since sat and passed his language test exam and they fully intend to apply for a spouse visa, and Emma dreads to think how long that process will take!

Emma is determined however to keep fighting for her right to choose to married whomever she so decided to, and to have him live with her in her country. She refuses to be bullied into leaving her home, family, job, friends and life here. She is a British Citizen and will not let the Home Office make her feel, that in loving her husband, she has committed a crime.

Previously :John Vine's report on marriage visa backlog.
http://icinspector.independent.gov.uk/decisions-in-marriage-applications-are-reasonable-but-chief-inspector-raises-concerns-about-backlogs-and-a-lack-of-consideration-of-the-best-interests-of-children/

'However, once again I was concerned to find backlogs within the Agency. These consisted of 14,000 requests from applicants to re-consider decisions to refuse them further leave to remain, and a further 2,100 cases where people were awaiting an initial decision on their application for further leave to remain. Some dated back nearly a decade. This is completely unacceptable and I expect the Agency to deal with both types of case as a matter of urgency.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/23/inspector-uk-border-agency-backlog
Gerard and Vilai's #settlementvisanightmare - 'because we can' :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/gerard

Rachel & Ahmed

“We haven’t applied for a spouse visa yet..the new rules have left us fearful and in a kind of limbo.”

Rachel is a 23 year old British citizen, a university student reading Arabic and Art History. She is married to Ahmed, from Egypt.

As part of her degree Rachel had the option of spending a year abroad in Egypt, Palestine or Jordan. She opted for Egypt as three years previously she had visited Cairo to assess the suitability of her degree, where she met Ahmed during a flat search.

After Rachel left Egypt they kept in touch via Skype and three months later, she was visiting him in Egypt once again. Three months after that, he came to stay with Rachel and her family in Cornwall for Christmas. Since then, they haven't gone for longer than 3 months without seeing each other, be it in Cairo, during term-time in London or with Rachel’s family in Cornwall.

When they got engaged, they planned to marry during Rachel’s year abroad because a lot of her friends from university would be able to attend and balance out Ahmed’s big family at the wedding!

Rachel had heard about some new changes to the rules at the time, but didn't really think anything of it – she assumed it would be higher application fees or the like. She never expected they would raise the income threshold to £18,600 p.a. and restrict financial support. Indeed, a friend who had married an Egyptian was allowed to have her parents as providers of third party support for his visa (this was before July 2012). As they knew Rachel would have her final year at university to complete, Rachel was also relying on her parents to do the same (and they were happy to), with Ahmed staying with Rachel during her last year in London.

 

Rachel is on course for a first-class degree and fairly confident of her earning potential after she graduates – however she firmly believes it should not just be her capacity to work and earn a decent salary which should count. She finds it frustrating that neither the spouse's earning potential nor his financial situation are taken into account.

If the government is so keen to ensure no burden on taxpayer, then given Ahmed will already have a clear ‘no recourse to public funds’ in his passport – surely it’s his financials which should be taken into account?

The same company that Ahmed works for in Egypt are currently advertising for the same job in England, with an annual salary of £36,000 - this is obviously much, much higher than the company pays their employees in Egypt.

Ahmed is qualified, has a good command of English and therefore good job prospects, which would be of great help to Rachel as a final year university student, in terms of rent and other expenses which Ahmed would help out with.

Rachel has never claimed benefits and has no interest in doing so, either. Both their families are able to help them out should they find themselves in a difficult situation – so no reason why third party support should not count.

After three years of going back and forth - though their relationship is more than worth all the travel they have endured – they are tired. They want to be able to plan their future but at the moment, in addition to the political instability in Egypt, everything seems so uncertain.

At present they’re applying for Ahmed’s family visit visa so at least he can come and visit Rachel while she is at university.

Rachel considered putting off her studies to go down the Surinder Singh route, but that would pose an unnecessary financial burden – without much of a time saving on her completed her degree and going straight into employment.

She has however postponed her decision to do a Master's degree!

Political instability in Egypt aside, Rachel needs to be in the UK. Her Dad passed away, and she is the only child and grandchild. While the government claim she can exercise her right to a family life with her husband elsewhere, what about her Mum and Nana's right to a family life especially when her Nana is not able to travel?

It does seem to this couple, that in their aim to bring down net migration, not only is the government keeping foreigners out of the country, but trying to encourage British citizens to leave too.

Rachel and Ahmed married in March 2013. After spending an amazing nine months in Egypt, it's been hard readjusting to life back in the UK without her husband. She barely feels like a newly-wed!

She considered staying back in Egypt for the summer, but thought it would be best to come back and work and try to earn as much money as possible to put aside for the future. Ahmed is doing the same in Egypt.

It really is demoralising to know that despite the no recourse to public funds, the couple may not be able to start to build their lives together until at least a year from now.

It has put pressure on Rachel to find a job immediately after she graduates, which in the current climate of internships and focus on the importance of gaining experience (i.e. an acceptable form of unpaid employment) it is difficult for her to remain optimistic - but it's all they can do in the face of these new rules.

Samantha

“Although I satisfy it, the income threshold is too high; and the best place to learn English should be in the UK..why make our family take very difficult tests other than to encourage us to give up?”

Samantha is a British citizen. She married her husband, an Egyptian citizen, in May 2012.

They were together for four years before tying the knot, and Samantha lived in Egypt for nine months before returning to the UK in September 2012.

She returned home to get a job. She knew the immigration rules had changed and so she thought of herself especially lucky to find a job immediately, paying well over the £18,600 required.

For this couple, the hurdle proving insurmountable, is the English language test. Her husband speaks good English but his reading and writing are not so good. He took a test in February which he failed; July sees his second attempt.

Samantha understands that at the end of the day, it’s up to her husband to pass the exams. But she is bemused by how difficult they make it for candidates..almost as if they want the candidates to give up.

Results for the test are due in August/September; hopefully he passes. If not, he will have to wait till November to re-take. To Samanatha it’s a joke that she can’t be in her home country, with her own husband, without recourse to public funds.

Despite satisfying the income threshold, Samantha believes it’s too high; she doesn’t understand why foreign spouses need to take an English test, which is not remotely basic, with hours of speaking, listening, reading and writing. She doesn’t understand why the test can’t be taken in the UK – surely it would be easier to learn English surrounded by it.

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.

---

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.

Sharon & Salah

“UKBA need to understand that behind all they do to keep our borders safe, are REAL families – British citizens suffering as a result of ‘rules’ supposedly in place to protect us. ”

Sharon is a British citizen living in Wales, where she met her now husband, Salah.

Sharon and Salah had a very happy life together, with Sharon’s daughter taking to Salah immediately. Legal advice they received indicated a spouse visa should be applied from Salah’s country of origin, so the family went to Egypt in September 2011 from where they put in the application along with the multitude of documents required – bank statements, payslips, English language certificate. All the documents had been certified by their solicitor.

In January 2012 they heard back from UKBA, alas, with a refusal. The reason being that the rules had been changed so the English test that Salah had passed was no longer on the “approved list”. The British embassy confirmed the other documents were fine.

So Salah re-took the test, passed again and they submitted the application a week before the dreaded rules came in, in July 2012. Yet again, 3-4 months later they received a response from UKBA, with yet another refusal. The reason for refusal this time was mystifying.

UKBA indicated that Salah had been arrested and deported (not true), and that he only came to UK for money (he didn’t, but this is not relevant any way – UK workers don’t tend to work for free). The advice Sharon and Salah received was that they should go and exercise their rights in another EU country.

Fine in principle, but Sharon was aware that UKBA knew – from documents submitted, that this route wasn’t possible for her given the rights the birth father of her daughter has.

Sharon and Salah have now been living apart for a year with the stress of the situation affecting them. What our government doesn’t seem to understand is that enforcing separation is difficult at the best of times, the uncertainty that comes with not knowing when this separation will end is what causes physical and mental issues, leading to relationships and marriages falling apart.

Indeed, Sharon and Salah are not giving up. They appealed the second refusal, with the British Embassy in Egypt required to respond by 3rd April 2013. Court of Appeals however indicated that the embassy did not respond and therefore now this couple is required to go to court – so another 2 months apart before there is any sort of progress.

The money they have spent is significant – the two visa applications, legal fees, expenses for Sharon to travel to Egypt...

UKBA need to understand that behind all the paperwork they do to keep our borders safe, are REAL families – British citizens suffering as a result of "rules" supposedly in place to protect us.
 

More stories like this : http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/stories

Journey to Dublin

One of the people affected by the rules recently exercised her free movement rights to move to another European country (in her case, Ireland) as a means to be with her husband.

This is her story in her own words - shared with permission to help others.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/133697288/Journey-to-Dublin

When I read these stories, I can't help but think of this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Removal_of_Hungary%27s_border_fence

On 2 May 1989, the first visible cracks in the Iron Curtain appeared when Hungary began dismantling its 150 mile long border fence with Austria. The relatively open border with the West allowed hundreds of East Germans on holiday in Hungary to escape to Austria and then travel safely to West Germany ...
The most famous crossing came on 19 August, when during a "friendship picnic" between Austrians and Hungarians over 900 East Germans rushed the border and escaped into Austria.

Well, that could be an idea for a meetup.

Mrs May, tear down this wall!

Mel

“I work, but don’t earn £18,600 and so am condemned to a life in a country where my physical and mental health deteriorate”

Mel is a 22 year old British woman married to Mahmoud, a 26 year old Egyptian man. They have been married for two years, and have lived together in Egypt for over a year.

Mel found the lifestyle as a foreigner in Egypt difficult; she became ill, suffered from depression and
was harassed when she would go out with some local men fascinated by her pale skin and blue eyes.

It got so bad that Mel found it easier to stay indoors, therefore isolating herself. Her body rejected the local water, and the bottled water did not suit her either. The stress resulting in problems eating food and subsequently Mel became familiar with the hospital in Egypt, having spent many nights there having tests.

Throughout all this, Mahmoud stayed by Mel’s side and tried to help the best way he could. They had not thought about living in the UK before, but with Mel not finding herself adjusting to life in Egypt, they decided to apply for a spouse visa, to allow Mahmoud to try out living in the UK.

In October 2011 Mel travelled back home to Birmingham to begin the spouse visa process. She knew she would have to find a job and work hard for 6 months so that she could once again be reunited with her husband. She found a job within two weeks of being home. She worked a Shift Leader in a well known company and began work in November, working extremely hard and up to 60 hours a week in order to earn and save as much money as possible.

On top of this, Mel had a home ready for herself and Mahmoud with her family also being very supportive in reuniting this pair.

The seven months they spent apart were the worst days of her life. She missed him so much, but
understood the rules required her to work hard to have her husband with her. Mahmoud passed his English test with flying colours, also working in Egypt to try and save money so they had the best chance of being successful with the application, and having funds for their life together in the UK.

In June 2012 Mel travelled back to Egypt to start the application, just before the rules came into force. At this time, the new rules were only speculation and nobody, not even lawyers were clear on what the rules were, when they would come into force and what they actually meant.

Mel and Mahmoud missed the 9th July deadline by days, having been delayed due to requiring collection of Mahmoud’s army release paper so that he was able to travel.

As it turns out, the few days delay has completely ruined their lives. Now Mel has no choice but to live in Egypt as she does not, and could not at the present time, ever hope to earn £18,600.

Mel has been living once again in Egypt since the new rules came into force; she was forced to leave her job and family in the UK to be with her husband. Her health is suffering again and she has once again been forced to isolate herself indoors. She does not speak Arabic so is completely dependent on her husband.

She begs him every day not to go out to work as she now fears being lonely. Very much a case of being surrounded by thousands of people in the city, but being alone in a crowd.

They don’t have any choice but to continue their life here, with Mel exiled from her own home because she doesn’t earn £18,600. Her husband won’t get to meet her family in person and her future children, who will also be British, will be living a life of poverty – with the right to a decent education and upbringing, denied to them just because their mother couldn’t earn £18,600.

Sandra

“I am being punished by my country for exercising my right to marry who I want . I can’t be with my daughter and grandchild – I can’t be around parents if they need me because of these rules.”

Sandra is a British Citizen, she married her husband Aftab, an Egyptian, in Bournemouth.

Sandra and Aftab decided to try out life in Egypt; accommodation was organised and Aftab had work. However, Sandra did not fit into life in Egypt and she missed her daughter and grandchild, who were still in the UK.

Aftab agreed to move to the UK – while home for him is Egypt, he liked the UK and wanted Sandra to be happy, understanding the importance of her family ties. Soon after Aftab enrolled on a business studies course in the UK, Sandra found out she was pregnant.

They applied for a spouse visa for Aftab before 9 July 2012, with £4,000 savings in the bank. Additionally, Sandra’s father provided a guarantee, acting as a third-party sponsor, with a healthy bank balance and proof of the deeds to his bungalow. Sandra and Aftab therefore had shown they had no intention to access any welfare benefits.

Sandra succeeded in obtained a job in telesales, which was good as it did not put too much strain on her body. Shortly after, Aftab found work in a restaurant, though he could only work 20 hours per week because of legal restrictions. Between them, they earned £18,600 although this was not the requirement at the time of application.

It became more and more important for the spouse visa to come through; Sandra was finding the pregnancy difficult. Further complications meant she could no longer work full time and sadly they lost the baby. It was a traumatic time for them both, but somehow, together, they managed to carry on.

More bad news was to follow, with the spouse visa being rejected because payment from Aftab’s bank in Egypt didn’t go through. Sandra and Aftab were not given a second chance to make payment by alternative means; and so, because of a fault of the bank, Sandra and Aftab now have now moved back to Egypt.

Sandra doesn’t feel she can earn £18,600 at this point and has been through a lot already, with the loss of the baby. She has secured a teaching job in Sharm El Sheikh at least.

So their situation is this. Sandra cannot return to her own home with her husband because she doesn’t earn enough. She feels she is being punished just because she chose to marry someone ‘different’.

She is being forced to choose between being a wife, and being a mother, grandmother, and daughter.

Sandra is pleading with whoever reads this to do what they can to change the current law to help British citizens.

She is a British citizen but now she cannot live in her own country.

Kelly

“All I have left is the hope that, one day, these rules will be made fairer, so I have a chance at the family life we so desperately want.”

Kelly is a 27-year-old British woman married to an Egyptian man, with whom she has a son (British).

They met in December 2009 while she was on holiday in Egypt, following which she spent a year travelling to Egypt for weeks at a time to see him, and to meet and spend time with his family. They got married in October 2010 and have just celebrated their second wedding anniversary albeit, sadly, not together this time.

After they got married, they lived in Egypt, but it was a huge culture shock for Kelly; despite her numerous visits there is a big difference between visiting and living there. While they tried their best to make it a home for her, she just couldn’t fit in with the lifestyle and the culture there.

Soon after moving to Egypt she fell pregnant; although she was extremely happy and excited about becoming a mum for the first time, she couldn’t enjoy the pregnancy as she would have liked.

Thus Kelly and her husband decided she would go back to England to have the baby and her husband applied for a visit visa to be there for the birth. Unfortunately the visa was refused. At that point Kelly decided to stay in Egypt for the birth, as she wanted her husband with her for the birth of their first child. But in her seventh month of pregnancy she developed DVT and was hospitalised in Egypt.

For her and her child’s safety, Kelly and her husband decided it would be better if she went to the UK, without him, for the birth to ensure she received proper treatment in case there were any further complications.

Their son is now three and half months old and has yet to meet his father. It's a very hard situation to be in, knowing that not only is her husband missing out on their son’s life, but that their son is missing out on getting to know his father.

Kelly would like to be reunited with her husband but is undergoing medical treatment and is cautious about raising her son in a place that she hasn’t been able to adjust to herself.

Under the current immigration rules though, she’s finding it impossible to envisage a situation where she, her husband and their baby could live together. For her, a salary of £18,600 for her might as well be £186,000 - it is so difficult to attain.

It’s sad this family is torn apart because our government puts a price on being a family and Kelly dared to fall in love with someone from outside the EU; so now she is being forced either to live as a single mother, without her husband, or to move to Egypt where she doesn’t want to live, despite the fact that both Kelly and her son are British and thus, effectively, being kicked out of their own home and their own country.

Kelly spends all day thinking of ways that they can be the happy family that she always wanted to have, but she is running out of options. All she has left is the hope that one day these rules will be made fairer, so that she will have a chance at the family life she so desperately wants and should have the right to.

Laura

“I would never wish for my worst enemy to be in the situation I am in now. I feel like I am being told that I do not have the right to love whom I choose or to start a family when I want to.”

Laura is a 25-year-old British citizen, living in Scotland and married to Mohamed a 28-year-old Egyptian.

They have been together for four years and married for two, but not been able to live together before now as they were both at university. Mohamed has a degree in Business Management and Laura has an Honours degree in Biomedical Science.

Laura has worked very hard to be able to establish a career in science. Her plan has always been to stay, build a life and develop her career in the UK. She doesn’t rely on benefits nor does she ever wish to.

Since finishing her degree in 2010, Laura has worked full time in a permanent position as a Laboratory Veterinary Scientist on £18,100, which in Scotland is at the upper end of those with similar qualifications/experience.

Her salary is set to increase every year – with further scope for increases due to promotions. The starting wage in science is, in general, quite low in Edinburgh where she resides. Laura has also worked for and made contributions in science for the Scottish Government.

Laura manages to save £600 every month after all outgoings, which she knows would be more than enough to support her spouse were he to be able to live with her in the UK. In addition, were Mohamed given the opportunity to work and contribute to the UK economy, their situation would be very much improved.

Laura is also in the process of paying off her student overdraft to satisfy UKBA, so they don’t frown upon her debt when this young couple applies for a settlement visa.

Laura visits Mohamed every few months, but her current job only allows for 11 consecutive days holiday, meaning they cannot see each other as often as they did before. The length of time and paperwork required or a UK family visit visa previously meant it was easier for Laura to visit Mohamed in Egypt. Mohamed has also visited Laura in the UK (on a family visit visa) for a period of 2 months, not overstaying on the 6 months permitted, in order to honour his own career commitments.

Had they however been aware of the new rules, they would have maximised their time together, and Mohamed would have stayed for 6 months. This couple has tried so hard to do everything by the book – following the guidelines set by UKBA in order to be reunited and live together as husband and wife. They saved all their spare money for a spouse visa, only to come across a hike in the fees. So then, they had to save more. Laura has gone hungry some nights; she doesn’t go out socially, doesn’t shop for new clothes to save money for visas and flights to see her husband, while also paying off student loans.

It is incredibly frustrating that the income requirement is such that even someone with a degree working as a Laboratory Veterinary Scientist is still unable to meet the required income level; it’s shameful that Laura has had to take on a second job, working in Pizza Hut, to reach the £18,600 level.

When the government introduced the English language requirement, Mohamed sat and passed the exam in the UK - with distinction. They were so happy, thinking they had overcome the final hurdle – only to find that the government has now changed the requirements yet again, making it harder to harder to not only deliver on what this government wants, but even to understand what they want.

It is not feasible for Laura to move to Egypt to be with her husband Mohamed. She has a degree and a good job with great prospects here in the UK. Were she to be forced to move to Egypt, everything she has ever worked towards would be taken away. Laura does not speak fluent Arabic, meaning it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find a job, especially in the science field.

Laura wants to start a family in the near future. She has cysts on her ovaries, so fears kids may not be an option were she to wait very long. Concerns of poor education and conditions for her future children, things other British citizens have a right to, also make moving to Egypt undesirable.

Laura would never wish for her worst enemy to be in the situation she is in now; she feels like she is being told that she doesn’t have the right to love who she wants, or to start a family when she wants to. She is being discriminated against for not having a “well enough” paid job and her life has been put on hold because of these changes.

Laura is on anti-depressants to combat her depression and at times, suicidal thoughts as a result of her frustration at finding that each time she thinks they have satisfied the criteria the goal posts have been moved yet again.

How many people will have to sacrifice their life before this government realises the devastating impact of these rules on British families?