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I didn't know about this until today, but the lovely coalition government has tightened up the requirements for a UK spouse visa.

 

Under rules that came into force a year ago only British citizens who can show they earn at least £18,600 a year can sponsor their non-European spouse's visa. This rises to £22,400 for families with a child, and a further £2,400 for each further child.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22833136

http://www.guardian....lia-spouse-visa

 

For me with my three kids that would be over £27k to show before I get off the plane. The bbc article mentions a waiver if you have 60 odd thousand in savings but many people won't have them and will need them to get on the housing ladder in the UK. Even if the requirements sound easy, remember that the pound was 230-240 to the yen not that long ago.

 

I've got a great life and no intention of going back to live in the UK, but my parents are still alive and there are possible family circumstances where I think I'd want to go for an extended period. I had no idea it was like this. People who've gone to live in poor countries must be completely ferked.

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The easiest way to get around this, is to take your family and go and work in another EU country for 3 months. From that country, you can take your non-EU wife and kids to the UK legally, without any income or savings requirements.

 

Maybe this loophole will be tightened in the future, but for now it's legit.

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Yeah it's ridiculous! Ireland is an obvious choice for 3 months living then a hop to blighty. This came into force a while back but I didn't think it applied to visiting the country. Tourist visas are valid for 6 months and afaik they are unaffected.

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It might take more thah 90 minutes - he has to find it first......................................................a bit like me :D

 

My barber does not charge to cut my hair - he just charges a search fee

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It might take more thah 90 minutes - he has to find it first......................................................a bit like me :D

 

My barber does not charge to cut my hair - he just charges a search fee

 

:lol:

 

Well, I thought it was funny.

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  • 1 year later...

Apparently this was challenged in court but they lost the ruling a couple of weeks ago.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/jul/11/appeal-court-18600-foreign-spouse-uk

 

The comments to the article make it sound like the "live in the EU for three months" loophole (the Surinder Singh case?) has also been closed or is now much harder to use. Some of the personal stories about people's circumstances in the comments also sound well grim.

 

fwiw, foreign spouses are already ineligible for benefits, so stopping them coming won't save any money. The other crazy one is that an EU national can take a non-EU spouse to the UK with no restrictions. This only affects UK nationals.

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This is unreal. These rule are designed to deter refugee and its is just not the UK making new immigration laws. The real reason for this mass migration of people is the economical state of their home countries they are fleeing. It is the western societies that cause this refugee problem. Now they do not want to take any responsibility for their very poor decision to invade Iraq, Afghanistan. Supporting Israeli and cheering from the sideline, giving support for the Spring offensive in the name of western democracy. Do you know that the UK are still honouring over 200 arms contract to Russia after grandstand and demanding the EU to impose stronger sanction against Russia about the shooting down of Malaysian lines Jet. That my rant about world politics. And no apologise will be issued

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Thats true John-san, but refugees and emigrants are covered under different laws. This particular law targets non-refugee immigrants, specifically those who are married to UK citizens

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There are laws concerning Human rights and there would be a loophole within these laws to protect these Marriages and Defacto,s Pies. Like they will consider the length of time of partnership and issue a temperary protection visa. This is aim at the people smugglers brokering Marriage for a fee of up to 10,000 pounds stirling to young single male and female with UK citizenship. That why there a monitory factor involved. Like I stated these people are economical refugees and a high percentage have the money to pay people smuggles. There is only a low percentage excepted due to persecution because the people who use to be persecuted are the one in power in these countries. The corruption will never subside. It is only the political side that changed.

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There are abuses regarding arranged and brokered marriages, but you can easily avoid such problems by not issuing spouse visas to newly weds.

 

I reckon the government just wants to appear to be "tough on immigration" and these rules are some ham-fisted attempt at it. However, the rules affect ordinary people and keeping families apart is no laughing matter.

 

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My friend was back in the UK recently.

He said he was going through a part of Bradford in northern England, and literally for quite a while did not see one 'white person'.

Pretty open guy and definitely not narrow minded but even he said it felt weird.

It would appear UK would not need to do much to appear tough(er than they have been) on immigration.

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