UK Gov looking at making it more difficult to bring your wife

[theblether]

The headline of the article refers to foreigners working in the UK. Reading the article, and relevant to UK citizens, the government are looking at raising the minimum income to qualify for a spousal visa up from £18,600. 

 

While the Thai expat community thinks its aimed at them, its actually aimed at Brits bringing in spouses from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Africa etc. The introduction of the limit under Theresa May when Home Secretary severely impacted the ability of low-paid Brits to bring in spouses. 

 

Some tried to beat the system by declaring higher income levels, and that backfired when HMRC started investigating using the ICE system in conjunction with border control. 

 

The ICE system uses 22 data points to track income and spending. If you ever get caught up in that type of investigation you are beat. Many Brits were entrapped and word went out that it wasn't worth the bother. Link here: 

 

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/rishi-sunak-immigrant-salary-threshold-raised/

 

[richard_smith237]

Interesting...   

 

I have always considered it rather offensive to impose such sanctions on those with a foreign spouse when the UK permits those without any UK ties on a seemly more frivolous basis.

 

I wonder if the 'savings' limit of £62,500 is also going to be increased. 

[theblether]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Interesting...   

 

I have always considered it rather offensive to impose such sanctions on those with a foreign spouse when the UK permits those without any UK ties on a seemly more frivolous basis.

 

I wonder if the 'savings' limit of £62,500 is also going to be increased. 

 

There's an attack being launched on foreign student spousal visas. These visas allowed the student and spouse to legally work 20 hours per week. They are rife with abuse. I noted arrests the other month due to people working well above the limit.

 

There was an article last week discussing the drop off in overseas marriage in the Pakistani diaspora. Several reasons were put forward but people I know in that community have told me that thee is no realistic way for low-earning daughters ( in particular ) to bring in a foreign spouse. 

 

You mention the lump sum route. I don't know if that will be raised. That route is fraught with difficulty for many due to ICE tracking the source of the money. Rich uncles don't need the aggravation of a HMRC investigation by lending lump sums. 

 

As for the expat community. The £18,600 clause put an end to British state pensioners importing Little Lek and coterie of ragamuffin kids ( father unknown ). A rise to the average wage of around £30,000 would knock out the vast majority of people with private pensions too. 

 

In short, any Brits contemplating relocating better get on their toes as the door for many will be slammed shut if the minimum income is raised substantially. 

[bignok]

People spend money. Boost economy. Stopping people is stupid. Just have 1 rule - no dole for 5 years.

 

Politicians are all fws though

[Nick Carter icp]

3 hours ago, theblether said:

 

There's an attack being launched on foreign student spousal visas. These visas allowed the student and spouse to legally work 20 hours per week. They are rife with abuse. I noted arrests the other month due to people working well above the limit.

 

 

   Not to be confused with student visas which allow them to work 22 hours per week .

I was speaking to a Japanese female student who was working in the local Sainsburys small shop and the bosses were asking her to work Sundays night , which she wanted to , but her 22 hours working per week prohibited it . 

   She rejected the extra hours and the Sainsburys closed down early on Sunday night  due to lack of staff 

[theblether]

40 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Not to be confused with student visas which allow them to work 22 hours per week .

I was speaking to a Japanese female student who was working in the local Sainsburys small shop and the bosses were asking her to work Sundays night , which she wanted to , but her 22 hours working per week prohibited it . 

   She rejected the extra hours and the Sainsburys closed down early on Sunday night  due to lack of staff 

 

So it's 22 hours and not 20? My bad. 

[scubascuba3]

Problem is too many spongers in UK, so brings a wife on low household income and needs benefits eventually

[youreavinalaff]

18 hours ago, theblether said:

the government are looking at raising the minimum income to qualify for a spousal visa up from £18,600. 

Two fundamental differences.

 

For a work visa the amount earned must be contracted and constant for the duration of the visa. For a spouse visa only 6 months salary needs to be proved.

 

When applying for FLR based on being a spouse, joint salaries can be used.

[RayC]

48,000 UK Family Visas were issued in 2022. Is it really that big a problem to accommodate this number of individuals in order to keep a family together?

 

Moreover, it's not as though making it more difficult will lead to any significant cost savings. According to Stephanie Flanders speaking on the Iain Dale show, the government itself expects savings of +/-£5m/annum which, in the big scheme of things, is a drop in the ocean.

[NextG]

The problem for some already there, is that it might affect their renewals. 

[youreavinalaff]

41 minutes ago, NextG said:

The problem for some already there, is that it might affect their renewals. 

Doesn't look like it.

 

The announcement said " British citizens and those with settlement status looking to bring their family members to UK"

 

 

[NextG]

36 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Doesn't look like it.

 

The announcement said " British citizens and those with settlement status looking to bring their family members to UK"

 

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/foreign-spouse-visa-uk-migration-crackdown-b2459168.html

[youreavinalaff]

1 hour ago, NextG said:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/foreign-spouse-visa-uk-migration-crackdown-b2459168.html

A very confusing article and nothing more than scaremongering from a newspaper not living up to its name.

 

They even have a quote saying " not retrospective".

 

There are laws protecting families that need to be taken into consideration.

 

 

[NextG]

38 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

A very confusing article and nothing more than scaremongering from a newspaper not living up to its name.

 

They even have a quote saying " not retrospective".

 

There are laws protecting families that need to be taken into consideration.

 

 

Confusing?

 

”

As well as applying to those yet to come to the UK, No 10 confirmed the new higher figure risks affecting those already here. 

 

Asked if it would apply to partners when they came to renew their visas, No 10 said the change was “not retrospective, but it would apply to renewals in the future”. 

At that point, people would be expected to “meet the visa requirements of the day”

[youreavinalaff]

5 hours ago, NextG said:

Confusing?

 

”

As well as applying to those yet to come to the UK, No 10 confirmed the new higher figure risks affecting those already here. 

 

Asked if it would apply to partners when they came to renew their visas, No 10 said the change was “not retrospective, but it would apply to renewals in the future”. 

At that point, people would be expected to “meet the visa requirements of the day”

It's vague.

 

I'm not suggesting you are wrong. I just think the wording is unclear.

 

Is it renewals for those not here yet? 

 

There are family rights rules that affect those already here. 

 

Time will tell.

[Chomper Higgot]

8 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

There are family rights rules that affect those already here. 

Rights that exist under the ECHR that the rightwing of the Tory Party and the PM himself have stated their desire to extract the UK from and/or negate.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Rights that exist under the ECHR that the rightwing of the Tory Party and the PM himself have stated their desire to extract the UK from and/or negate.

 

 

No.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, youreavinalaff said:

No.

Yes.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Yes.

 

 

You clearly don't know what you are talking about.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, youreavinalaff said:

You clearly don't know what you are talking about.

 

 

You clearly don’t have a counter argument or you’d produce it.

 

9 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Rights that exist under the ECHR that the rightwing of the Tory Party and the PM himself have stated their desire to extract the UK from and/or negate.

 

 

 

Give it a go.

[youreavinalaff]

31 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You clearly don’t have a counter argument or you’d produce it.

 

 

Give it a go.

There is no arguement. 

I know the rules. You think you do.