Help us Defend our Human Right to a Family Life
Since the government announced an incremental increase to the Minimum Income Requirement which will see it increase to £29,000 in the spring before reaching £38,700 in early 2025 (a level only roughly 40% of the UK currently earn) Reunite Families UK and our community fought back against a draconian change which will in practice means an end to the possibility of family reunification for countless families across the country.
The last few weeks have shown the worst of this government and the best of a community like ours. Whilst the government is trying to deny many the possibility of being with their loved ones simply because they are from abroad.. people in our network came together to say NO
NO to accepting that only rich people can fall in love to people born abroad.
NO to being considered a bargaining chip just to reduce by a negligible number the net migration figures.
NO to being made poor and scared about our future in the country
NO to separate our families
We fought and will continue to fight back because there isn’t anything like family. Like the warm embrace of our children, like the little moments that together build our family life. For this and for much more we have started to fightback.
Our Fightback:
We fought and will continue to fight back because there isn’t anything like family. Like the warm embrace of our children, like the little moments that together build our family life. For this and for much more we have started to fightback.
Since the MIR announcement on the 4th of December, we have:
🚩Organised a letter against the changes signed already by over 2000k people and together with our ambassador Paige and little Fiorela delivered directly to the PM’s door.
🚩 Work with friends including Praxis Projects, Migrant Voice and JCWI to organise a coalition to oppose the latest changes to the spouse visa policy as well as continue to highlight the unfairness and poverty caused by the exorbitant visa fees and the Health Surcharge
🚩 Worked with the RAMP Project to maximise our parliamentary engagement and highlight the impact of the rules and how the new changes would effectively ends the possibility of family reunification for countless of British and settled residents. (only 40% of the workforce earn enough)
🚩 On the 18th we also published our initial findings report on the mental health impact of the current MIR policy. Findings that should concern all the policy makers given the damages caused to families and the implications for children.
Throughout this period we, and the families affected in our network featured heavily in media pieces that discussed the policy and what it will mean for bi-national couples and their children including the several families featured in a piece in The Observer about us considering legal actions against this latest draconian change.
Watch and read the stories of our families affected by the changes to the MIR
Raquel and Manoel on BBC Radio 4
Ruby and Furkan on BBC News
Polly and Saroch on Sky News
Jessica and Sanas in the Guardian
Take Action:
Write to your MP –highlight the key findings and ask for the following:
Commission a review of the family migration rules in detail with a particular focus on integration and on the mental health impact of the rules on children and their families.
Following a review, adopt new family migration rules for British and settled sponsors of overseas spouses and partners that promote family and foster integration. Any new policy must be formulated and implemented giving due weight to the best interests of children.
Legislate for a statutory right for British citizens to be joined by their non-UK spouse or partner.
If the MIR must be maintained, it should be proportional to the full-time National Minimum Wage.
The MIR should also:
Allow job offers made to the non-UK spouse/partner foreign national to be taken into account
Include non-UK spouse/partner’s prospective earnings if they are self-employed or have their own business
Include reliable third party support -such as that from parents and relatives -to contribute towards the MIR.
Reduce the 6 month earning period within the MIR requirements to 3 months in order to reduce separation time; and to 6 months for self-employed workers.
Reduce the probationary period to settlement to two years because that is plenty to assess the relationship (with a five year cap for exceptional cases)
Remove all the so-called ‘reset the clock’ mechanisms of applicants on the 10-year route now able to apply under the 5-year route to settlement.
Reduce the application processing time to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Allow couples married for longer than 4 years to apply directly for settlement.
Fix the level of fees at the cost of processing for all family applications.
If applicants are paying National Insurance and Income Tax, they should not also be liable to pay for the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Simplify and streamline the application process, reducing the administrative burden on applicants and on the Home Office.
