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3,641 families put on hold

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The Home Office has updated its statistics on the number of families with pending applications separated by the £18,600 minimum income threshold for spouses. At the end of December 2013 it was 3,014. At the end of March it stood at 3,641. That is a LOT of separated families and an almost unimaginable amount of anguish. All caused by the Government David Cameron said in Opposition he wanted “to be the most family friendly Government we’ve ever had in this country and that is about everything we do to support families and it’s about supporting every sort of family.”

Judgment in the MM case will be soon. But there will almost certainly be an appeal to the Supreme Court by whichever side loses, so the misery will continue.

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Colin Yeo

Colin Yeo

Immigration and asylum barrister, blogger, writer and consultant at Garden Court Chambers in London and founder of the Free Movement immigration law website.

Comments

28 Responses

  1. The barristers in the case in their summing up did make a request to the Lord Justices to make a ruling on interim measures for all those placed on hold so their private and family lives’s are not unduly interfered with by the Government a moment longer than necessary. Especially if the case funding permitting continues to the Supreme Court.
    The figures do not include those cases refused outright on multiple reasons. It also does not include those who have given up (and withdrawn) or have not been able to put in applications due to the highly restrictive criteria of the requirements.

    We hope the ruling does come in the next week and brings some relief (even if only temporary) for all those impacted.

  2. I haven’t applied for a spouse visa as we are waiting for the outcome/decision. I am quite confuse as to when should I apply for my visa, any advice? I know we do not meet the income requirement and our visa application will just be put on hold just like many others. depressing…………

  3. I applied last year august and am still waiting i have been seperated from my wife, now i dont have any idea of when the judgement will be read its been very hard for me and my wife its being getting to a year now,so now any info on when the courts will rule?

  4. There is also another problem that the husband or wife is required to bring him to the United Kingdom must be fluent in English and this is difficult for some cases

  5. those applications whos are on hold .Are they will be still on hold or they will sort out after the high court decison?

  6. My wife’s application was put on hold purely and only because i as the principal sponsor, did not earn enough. at the time they say that this was the sole reason as everything else in the application , they where happy with and accepted. this has been and continues to be a massive strain on me and my wife and our want to be together. i pray and hope that the outcome is what we and all other families in the same situation, want.

    1. I am in the same boat as yourself, me and my husband applied December 2013, our application is on hold due to my income, so frustrating! Hope we have some good news very soon!

  7. My application for spouse visa has been on hold for almost a year, applied last September and never receive any accurate decision, just wait and be in agony of being away from my husband. I don’t know where do they get this lies “to be the most family friendly Government we’ve ever had in this country and that is about everything we do to support families and it’s about supporting every sort of family.” All I know is they focus more on money. They approved student and working visa but never spouse visa if you do not require their financial requirements.

  8. My daughter( an one year old baby)’s application has been hold since my husband didn’t earn 22,400pouns last year. But he has got another part time job which makes his annual salary over 22,400. But he started the part time only over one month. Should we wait for another six months to submit again? Hope the court will bring some good news. :( we miss each other badly!

  9. To all those who have commented who currently have their applications put on hold at the moment my sincerest sympathies. I went through a similar situation with my wife and I know how painful it is. I am also a journalist and am putting together a piece on the issue. If any of you would be willing to tell me a bit more about your situation so that I can put your stories into my article, please email me on felixhenrynorman@hotmail.co.uk

  10. I hav applied last year in july but my application has been put on hold for no reason as my husband income is more than £18,600 and he is a British National. We hav full filled all their requirements as well but still facing this misery. Can anybody help what should we do ?

  11. I put an application in nov2013. I was making 15,800 because at that time my wife wasn’t working. However my wife had started working full time since January 2014. Since a decision hasn’t been made can I send an update on my family financial situation ( because the total sum of is over 18,600. What can I do.

  12. my application was in nov2013 i am in the same boat as 3000 plus famlies are this is very difficult to b apart from ur life partner for that long my wife last visited me dec 2013 now v r waiting for the outcome and very depressed hope there is a good news for all of us soon

  13. My husband and I have a 4 month old son, we have been together for 4 years married for 3. We can’t even apply for a settlement bias because I don’t earn enough. My husband was given a 6 month family visa which expired mid march so he was able to be here for our sons birth but at 2 weeks old he had to return to Turkey leaving us all heartbroken.
    My husband is the most hardworking committed person I have ever met .
    If he were able to live here, we would be able to pay rent, bills, look after our family without the use of public funding. I refuse to go on benefits, we are too proud to use working peoples taxes to fund our living situation. But as my husband is not allowed to live here, who will look after our son because I need to go back to work? And then if I am able to return to work, any money I earn will go on child care. My husband has had job offers while here to work evenings in a restaurant. We have it all worked out. I work 8-3 as a teaching assistant, he workshop 6-12 in a restaurant. We won’t need to go on benefits. But the government will end up forcing me to do so if we can’t work and live as a family.

    We are trapped and miserable spending so much time apart and it breaks my heart that my husband can’t be the loving father that he is day in day out. They really don’t understand what they are doing to families like us who just want to live a normal lifestyle.

    If anyone has any advice or would like to contact me please do so at tonibrown_96@hotmail.com.

  14. It seems that the decision will be handed down on Friday 11 July at 10AM. Lets see if that news is true.

  15. Let’s hope the decision that will be announced this Friday will end our misery!

  16. i wish it will sorted out soon , i been doing my job for 5 years but my income just 13000 and been separated from my wife for 2 years , this make my life as hell

  17. Is this true? Are they going to release the decision on July 11? If so, hope it ends all our agony in being away from our families. It breaks my heart to see my husband walk away from the car when I took him to fhe airport to go back to England. He was only here on holiday for 2 weeks then had to leave because we have to work hard for the required money. I hope for the best, hope the British government hear our voices. WE WANT TO BE WITH OUR LOVEONES!!!

  18. Had an appointment with solicitor today, he told me it will be coming down to 13500 by next two weeks however there will be other changes such as u cant apply for a visa untill After two years of marriage..

  19. judge said in Appeal Court, ‘rules are discriminatory but justified’.Discrimination is never justified. Terrible news guys :(

  20. Can anyone please confirm if the amount required has changed or not? What’s is going to happen to our hold visa application? Long we have waited for nothing just cause we are not brit means we cannot be with oue loveones unless we earn alot. 18 is too much ordinary people only earn 13 thou pounds.

  21. Whtts going on so there is no news about when the ruling will be read? not even the home office knows or what? This isnt the second coming of jesus christ that even he himself isnt aware of when his second coming is, at least the home office should show a little respect and reply our messages send to their offices cos nobody is talking to us. and if anybody knows of when, i mean the exact month and date he should inform we the public,we are sooo despirate my wife will be delevring soon. oh God help us

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