Mental Health Week
This week, we are campaigning with Migrant Voice to raise awareness of the impact of the UK immigration system on the mental health of British citizens and residents and their non-UK partners and families.
Mental Health Week UK is from 9th-15th May, with the UN Day of the Family on 15th May.
We will be running a Twitter campaign – follow us on @ReuniteDivFamil, hashtag #whatstherealcost? !
Both surveys and case studies show the dramatic impact of the visa process on families – for example, this study Reunite Families UK did for a parliamentary committee showed 93% of respondents reporting ‘terrible’, ‘very negative’ or ‘negative’ impact on mental health as a result of visa-enforced separation, even if temporary, with similar impact on physical health, finances, and the state of relationships with the wider family and friends.
This aspect of the immigration system is a trial by ordeal for those who have been through it and the long-lasting impact on the family have hitherto not received the attention it deserves.
The stress caused by having to jump through hoops to apply for an EUSS Family Permit before the deadline of 29th March 2022 has almost brought us to breaking point. After a refusal in October 2021 on very weak and contradictory comments by Kevin Foster we are still waiting over 5 months later for a decision. Now we have even more stress as they are requesting further evidence of sponsors PERMANENT residency even though they have a copy of the WA RP. Kevin Foster said we hadn’t proved creating and strengthening our life/residency – my husband gave up a good teaching career to start our life together and a year later we were married, thus creating and strengthening. My husbands mental state and expectations of Europe are at the lowest I have ever seen. He feels unwelcome and asks ”what’s the point?” He is no longer in a mental health position to support me in my cancer and other health problems.