Some readers may be a little confused as to why Vince and I have moved back to the UK and Stacey remains in the US.
Basically in July 2012, new rules were brought in to curtail British people bringing their partners and family members into the country if they are non-EU citizens. Not just folks from those funny sounding countries either, but Americans, Australians, South Africans - you know, our friends.
The upshot of which is that in order to bring your partner, you have to find a job earning a minimum amount of money (£18,600), to sponsor them for two years and an additional £2,400 for each non-EU child. Vince is dual so doesn't count in that equation but Stacey does which is why my freelance Social Media/Consulting business is on ice and I'm working for Bloggs and Son to meet this figure so Stacey can come over. It is ostensibly to stop her signing on the dole when she arrives, which of course is foremost in any immigrants mind but also disallows third party sponsorship, so even if I was the son of Richard Branson or Alan Sugar, this would not be taken into consideration.
The Visa processing process takes two to three months itself and costs £850 to apply. Stacey has to apply from the United States, cannot do it from the UK, and has to hand over her passport in the process to make sure there are no sneaky trips to, you know, see her son and husband in the meantime. There is also no right of appeal if the request is turned down so you'd better make damn sure you've got all your ducks in a row.
The reason the rule was brought in is a classic example of realpolitik. The government wants to reduce immigration so it can go to the polls in 2015 and say - "Look, we reduced immigration!". There are several methods to do this but the one they have decided on impacts non-EU citizens immigration rules, which they can control as opposed to EU citizens free movement which they can't. So, by erecting barriers to non-EU citizens, the number of successful applications falls, immigration goes down and it's a policy triumph. Regardless of how many families and homes are split up in the process. Japanese and Chinese research students go to more welcoming universities in the US, taking their goodwill, money and brains with them, willing immigrants from countries that are our past and present allies linger on the sidelines whereas citizens from countries with a dubious grip on human rights, rule of law etc, yes Russia & Dubai, we're looking at you, can have the red carpet rolled out if they have £62,500 in the bank. I should have mentioned that the Government has left a loophole for 'high value' migrants that have that amount of spare income.
A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration has been published today which reacts as any fair-minded individual would when informed of the wrong-header, cruel policy put in place as a sledgehammer to crack the walnut sized problem of non-EU/British family immigration. The report addresses cases like us and calls for a review of the procedure - good luck with that.
As a last insult, the rule does not apply to non-British EU citizens and their non-EU partners so Jose from Ireland and his American wife or Bert from Spain with his Brazilian partner can bring them in as soon as they get to a wifi access point to submit the paperwork.
I never thought it would be easier for me to emigrate into the US than Stacey to come here but there we are. I hope this sheds some light on the frustrations and outright outrageous unfairness we face in trying to reunite our family in the UK. Expat message boards are full of heart breaking stories of families breaking up and British citizens being forced into exile just to keep their families together.
But I'm sure it's worth it to keep those darn New Zealanders out...
Update 1 - As ever, our good friends at The Northern Echo are first out of the gate
Update 2 - I also spoke to Amy Lea on BBC Tees drivetime about the issue yesterday too.
Basically in July 2012, new rules were brought in to curtail British people bringing their partners and family members into the country if they are non-EU citizens. Not just folks from those funny sounding countries either, but Americans, Australians, South Africans - you know, our friends.
The upshot of which is that in order to bring your partner, you have to find a job earning a minimum amount of money (£18,600), to sponsor them for two years and an additional £2,400 for each non-EU child. Vince is dual so doesn't count in that equation but Stacey does which is why my freelance Social Media/Consulting business is on ice and I'm working for Bloggs and Son to meet this figure so Stacey can come over. It is ostensibly to stop her signing on the dole when she arrives, which of course is foremost in any immigrants mind but also disallows third party sponsorship, so even if I was the son of Richard Branson or Alan Sugar, this would not be taken into consideration.
The Visa processing process takes two to three months itself and costs £850 to apply. Stacey has to apply from the United States, cannot do it from the UK, and has to hand over her passport in the process to make sure there are no sneaky trips to, you know, see her son and husband in the meantime. There is also no right of appeal if the request is turned down so you'd better make damn sure you've got all your ducks in a row.
The reason the rule was brought in is a classic example of realpolitik. The government wants to reduce immigration so it can go to the polls in 2015 and say - "Look, we reduced immigration!". There are several methods to do this but the one they have decided on impacts non-EU citizens immigration rules, which they can control as opposed to EU citizens free movement which they can't. So, by erecting barriers to non-EU citizens, the number of successful applications falls, immigration goes down and it's a policy triumph. Regardless of how many families and homes are split up in the process. Japanese and Chinese research students go to more welcoming universities in the US, taking their goodwill, money and brains with them, willing immigrants from countries that are our past and present allies linger on the sidelines whereas citizens from countries with a dubious grip on human rights, rule of law etc, yes Russia & Dubai, we're looking at you, can have the red carpet rolled out if they have £62,500 in the bank. I should have mentioned that the Government has left a loophole for 'high value' migrants that have that amount of spare income.
A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration has been published today which reacts as any fair-minded individual would when informed of the wrong-header, cruel policy put in place as a sledgehammer to crack the walnut sized problem of non-EU/British family immigration. The report addresses cases like us and calls for a review of the procedure - good luck with that.
As a last insult, the rule does not apply to non-British EU citizens and their non-EU partners so Jose from Ireland and his American wife or Bert from Spain with his Brazilian partner can bring them in as soon as they get to a wifi access point to submit the paperwork.
I never thought it would be easier for me to emigrate into the US than Stacey to come here but there we are. I hope this sheds some light on the frustrations and outright outrageous unfairness we face in trying to reunite our family in the UK. Expat message boards are full of heart breaking stories of families breaking up and British citizens being forced into exile just to keep their families together.
But I'm sure it's worth it to keep those darn New Zealanders out...
Update 1 - As ever, our good friends at The Northern Echo are first out of the gate
Update 2 - I also spoke to Amy Lea on BBC Tees drivetime about the issue yesterday too.
