Thread: Home Office response to a report on the minimum income threshold

The Home Office(U.K) response to the Children’s Commissioner’s report on the impact on children of the minimum income threshold for sponsoring family migrants.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...tion_Rules.pdf

They still do not acknowledge the value of a property owned, outright, by the sponsor and where the applicant will reside. Utterly stupid that they treat someone paying a rent and overheads amounting to, say, £1,200 per month in precisely the same manner as a couple living rent-free.

The reason for the requirement that stipulates savings held by the sponsor in meeting the financial threshold must be in addition to a minimum of £16,600 before any computation can be made, because it protects society after the applicant gains ILR, is beyond silliness and certainly was not approved by the Courts. The courts simply ruled that the process of the amended settlement rules introduced in 2012 was in accordance with HR legislation and did not constitute a breach. The judges made no comment on specific clauses but DID offer the view that thresholds were possibly set too high and should be reviewed.

The Home Office and their minister lackeys are simply a pile of hypocritical shite but bear in mind the changes to the legislation enjoyed cross-party support during its passage through parliament.

were you a civil servant or lawyer in your previous life?

I was many things Tax and, yes, the roles of a shiny-arsed clerk and officer of the court were not alien to me.

But these days there is no reason why anyone should not be an autodidact to some degree in many fields of endeavour although pulling teeth and rootling around an orifice or two is certainly not one.

Afghan war hero 'forced out' of UK after his family are denied entry after being told he doesn't earn enough.



A war hero from Warwickshire who fought the Taliban in Afghanistan says that he is being 'forced out of Britain'.

29-year-old Andrew McLaughlin has an American wife and daughter and they have been denied entry into the UK because of the government's strict immigration rules regarding the rights of non-EU spouses.

The soldier, who served in the Grenadier Guards 1st battalion for four years, was deployed to Afghanistan’s Helmand province from March to September 2012.

The life-long Villa fan married Wanda, 37, in December 2011 having met her on a trip to the US to visit family and friends.

But because of his low income, his wife and daughter have been denied entry to the UK, forcing him to move permanently to the US to be with them.

He has now been separated from his wife and their two-year-old daughter, Gracie, for more than six months.
I’m being forced out of my own country because I don’t earn enough money. I fought for my country and it hurts that no-one is willing to fight for me. I’ve got no choice but to leave because I’m not going to miss out on my daughter’s life. I feel totally let down.

I was on the frontline and regularly encountered deadly Taliban resistance. I lost three close friends there, including one mate I met in basic training – that sort of loss is pretty horrendous. What I went through out there changed me forever.”

– ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN



The Warwickshire College graduate, who also has American citizenship because his dad originally comes from Pennsylvania, wanted to bring his family to the UK so his daughter could experience her British heritage.

When Wanda, originally from Puerto Rico, arrived at London Heathrow in June 2015, having packed up her life in New Jersey, she was detained and interrogated for more than six hours because she did not have the necessary visa.
She was humiliated and told she had to pay for her own flight to return to the US within the week. The officials were rifling through her baggage and she was extremely upset. They wouldn’t let me see her, or my daughter, for hours. When I finally got through to someone and told them I was a combat veteran they said ‘I couldn’t care less.’”

– ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN
When Andrew tried to re-enrol in the Army in Coventry in April this year his application was declined because of Government budget cuts to recruitment.

Instead he found work as a trainee driver but was denied entry to the UK because his basic wage did not meet the strict income requirement of £18,600 required to allow a foreign spouse to settle here.

Andrew added: “My wife is well-educated and has years of retail management experience so she wouldn’t be a burden on the UK. In fact, she’s an extremely hard worker. But she was mistreated and detained."
All spousal visa applications must be supported by the evidence required under the rules to show that the sponsor is able to financially support the applicant in the UK. Cases are carefully considered on their individual merits, in line with the immigration rules and based on the evidence provided. There are clear rules for British citizens looking to bring their non-EU spouse to this country, including a minimum income threshold based on advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee. This policy has been approved by Parliament and upheld by the courts.”

– HOME OFFICE SPOKESPERSON
Last updated Tue 5 Jan 2016

Afghan war hero 'forced out' of UK after his family are denied entry after being told he doesn't earn enough | Central - ITV News

The rule is clear as indeed is the requirement that anyone seeking settlement in the UK must first obtain the requisite entry clearance. The UK is not the 51st State but many septics seem to think it is. Try seeking entry into the US with a tourist waiver and then revealing that your intention is to remain with your American spouse.

I dislike these sorts of cases which rely upon mawkish claims that some service or other in the armed forces somehow confers a life long privilege over others.

All he had to do was to get a job earning more than £18,600 which given his age etc should not be too difficult - even migrants in the South of England can easily earn that.

Nope, this guy is a whingeing idiot who thinks rules did not apply to him or his American family.

Easy, just live in the US since he has an American wife.

A British soldier married to an American citizen is allowed to live and work in America. Bravo.

If this story is indeed 100% then a sad shame on Britain's immigration / citizenship policy. (IMO)
Tsk , tsk.

For Chrissakes, he's a dual national with American citizenship, of course he can live and work in the US.

And why should membership of the armed services exclude folk from legislation?

Why not doctors, nurses, teachers etc, they're generally more useful than the majority of squaddies.

Always amusing this daft notion that simply because someone serves in a conflict zone they're all "heroes" and should benefit from a free ride the rest of their lives.

Join up and you takes your chances. It ain't conscription, is it?

He will have to go through the green card process, but he can definitely work and live there along with his wife receiving some financial aid. Shame on you British.

"Can't folk read?" What kind of English is that?

Obviously I did not read that bit about him having an American father. I have no clue why he would want to live in a place like Britain though since they like the word 'septic' to describe his wife. I am sure he might take some offense to that.

You septics really are a bit weird, aren't you?

When I finally got through to someone and told them I was a combat veteran they said ‘I couldn’t care less.’”

That is a bit gay.

Does he expect a red carpet and a "Sorry sir, we didn't realise. Of course, this makes your wife exempt from UK border laws"

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

You septics really are a bit weird, aren't you?

Not really, but then again I am American. Not a lot different from those we kicked out of the US back in the 1700s. We are a bit more independant and not so straitlaced however.

29-year-old Andrew McLaughlin has an American wife and daughter and they have been denied entry into the UK because of the government's strict immigration rules regarding the rights of non-EU spouses.

That's tough... but exactly what the Daily Mail/Sun peanut gallery have been wanting for years - but now that it's applied to 'one of the lads', rather than just the 'immigrant freeloaders', it's all wrong and the politicians' fault.

Priceless...

Originally Posted by stroller

That's tough... but exactly what the Daily Mail/Sun peanut gallery have been wanting for years

waiting for years ?
it's been Uk policy to easily let all the filth in , but make it hard for decent people for decades

He has Dual citizenship. He chose to serve in the British Army for four years after attending and graduating from Uni in the UK.
Though the story doesn't fill in the important minor details I can well understand how he feels with immigrants being granted access for political or economic hardships. In hindsight the story should be about how a former British soldier made a gross error in his judgement of where to make his life with his wife and daughter.

Year 2001 through October 2015 , 456 British soldiers have died in Afghanistan and 2,379 American soldiers have died as of this month. RIP to each.

Originally Posted by PeeCoffee

Though the story doesn't fill in the important minor details I can well understand how he feels with immigrants being granted access for political or economic hardships.

He may 'feel' whatever, doesn't make it true though.