youreavinalaff

I don't know. When I meet people I don't ask what religion they are.

How do you know you don't have any Muslim friends, colleagues or neighbours?

This thread isn't about people being invited. I believe there needs to be a system whereby checks need to be made that those that come to UK can take care of themselves. Taking investments and property ownership into account would help some, not make them feel hard done by. There is not much of a negative impact on us. I might need to work 2 days a week for 6 months.

That is about the refunds for those on other visas who work withing health care and have paid the surcharge. My wife works in health care in the private sector, paid the NHS surcharge as part of he visa process and now applies every 6 months for a partial refund.

You are clearly not reading my comments correctly. I have shown how it would be done. Home ownership and investments being two. If I own a house in London or Cumbria it makes no difference. My mortgage/rent is still ZERO. You are just being picky.

Applications are already addressed on their own individual circumstances. UK couples are almost always subjected to income and outgoings scrutiny when applying for many things. Whether it's a loan from a bank, a mortgage,HP on a car.... Government agencies also take this into consideration, along with assets, when accessing benefits applications, universal credit, tax credits, health care when elderly, disability payments......... It would be very simple, and fair, to do the same with family settlement applications. In our case we easily qualify for the government requirement that we can financially take care of ourselves.

By percentage, how much of your NI payments do you think went directly to NHS? My wife, if she passes the ludicrous Lif in UK test, will be able to apply for ILR in December next year. She will be exempt from paying NHS surcharge. However, since being in the UK, her payments have been in excess of £2500 across 5 years. That is £2500 directly to NHS. She also pays NI and Tax on her salary. New applicants will be paying £5000 in 5 years. Again, this figure is money directly to the NHS. I'm not sure on the figures but, I would doubt many people pay that much directly into NHS in many many more years of paying NI.

As pointed out by JohnnyF, salary and living costs vary depending on financial status. We own our property and therefore have low outgoings. The government statement was something like " the new figures are to ensure sponsors can take care of their family members". My wife and I can easily live on the previous figure because of our financial situation, one that is not taken into account by the current requirements.

No. However, she's taken no life threatening journeys across land or sea, she can live with me, she has freedom of movement in UK, she can work, shop, eat, dleep and play when she wants and where she wants and what she wants. She can leave and return when she wants, she has just returned from a 3 week trip to Thailand, she can contact her family when she wants, she can.........the list goes on.

I was referring to your comment " It seems they have got to the point where you are better of turning up at Dover in a dinghy than doing it legally." That is not accurate.

It's actually "Health Care" that is exempt.

That rule already stands in UK.

I have outlined my suggestions above. Include property and investments. Checking would take minutes. I believe UKVI are on top of things right now. I've been hearing reports of waiting times meeting, or bettering, those published.

Exactly. So, a change in regulations would not change the way the applications are processed. Example, if home ownership was taken into consideration, we could upload a copy of our deeds. UKVI would check them. Just as they do with the other documents we upload. If they took share ownership into consideration, we would upload those documents. UKVI would then check those documents, just as they do the other documents we upload. Same process.

Changing the subject does not change the meaning of what you said.

You are not looking at the bigger picture.

No. It isn't easier to turn up in a dinghy. That comment undermines all the good points you make.

Each application is already looked at on an individual basis.

You disagree then you go on to give examples to contradict yourself. With a home bought and paid for, £18600 is more than enough for many. My wife and I live comfortably and, though we have the spending power to do so, dont spend more than a grand a month. I agree with you that the rigid, one size fits all, doesn't work.

I understand that part. However, money is not just sat there in a bank. That's was bad terminology on my part. Words ive always used to cover money saved. Sorry.

I'm semi retired. My wife works. I'll now need to go back to work full time, albeit only for 6 months, despite owning a property outright and having money in the bank. If the rules apply to those already in UK, which is still unconfirmed. The jump from £18600 to £37500 is too much in one go. There are going to be so many legitimate applications that now cannot go ahead. In many cases, £18600 as a start is sufficient to support 2 people.

I'm not disputing it's household income. You said it covers both incomes of a work8ng couple. I just pointed out it doesn't for the initial application.

Not for the initial settlement visa application.

There is no arguement. I know the rules. You think you do.

How do those things make the government think my wife is an issue? She lives with me. In a property we own. A property that I would live in if she was not here. Our daughter is 22 and working. She pays NHS surcharge at each visa stage AND pays income tax and NI. There have been over 1 million unemployed for as long as I can remember. That says something about a large proportion of the unemployed. Besides, there are over 1 million job vacancies currently.