It’s almost time for my wife and I to renew her Spouse Visa, two and a half years on their current visa have flown by and while we always knew the renewal was coming and have passed the process before with no issue before, we are now, much like a number of couples, faced with a much more expensive application overall that has us trying to raise our savings where we can. We both expected some form of an increase eventually, we are after all in a cost-of-living crisis and all bills seem to be on the up.
To be struggling financially somewhat as it is and to know that we have an even tougher journey ahead of us just to have our family stick together 2.5 years after we have already passed the requirements is incredibly disappointing. It got me thinking that many of the public likely don’t really know about what is happening and the struggle that many will are facing or will soon face.
So why exactly are these fees increasing? If we recall back in July of 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that there would be much needed pay rises for those working in the Public Sector. However, the money would need to come from several areas such as tax increases and more. One of these areas being the cost of any visa that involved staying for an extended period in the UK.
I am absolutely in agreement that those in the Public Sector deserved the pay rises they received but why are those wishing to join our great nation being punished as a result?
Although the cost to extend a Spouse Visa is currently not increasing for some and will stay at £1048 for those who applied for the initial visa before the price increases. I feel for those who are just starting their journey as the price has just risen on October 4th 2023 by roughly 20% from £1538 to £1846.
While I take the small victory in having no increase to an already extortionate price, I know that there is a delaying of the inevitable just 2.5 years down the road at the completion of my wife’s 5 years on a spouse visa as she will then be eligible to apply for ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ the cost of which was sitting at £2404 previously and will have just recently risen by roughly 20% to £2885.
You may well be thinking to yourself, yes people should be paying for a visa in order to join the UK as a citizen, spouse, student and more. I totally agree with you, if you want to show commitment to joining a country on any kind of visa you can certainly expect some costs or tests involved. What I think the public is not aware of is that it’s not quite as simple as just paying for a Visa and in some cases an IELTS (English Language) test. You are also expected to pay a yearly cost to the NHS upfront for the right to use them in what is called an Immigration Health Surcharge.
I used to believe it was fair to charge people to use the NHS if they are joining the UK as they certainly will not have built up the tax that goes towards funding it for the most part. I also think the NHS should be funded by all of us as it always has been and if you would like to make a life in this country you should be contributing to it either by a payment up front or via your tax if you are employed.
What I find disgusting is the price which is now to rise on January 16th 2024 from £624 per year to £1035 per year for adults regardless of if they eventually get a job and pay tax towards it in some cases essentially meaning they are paying the NHS twice.
Growing up I loved the multiculturalism I was surrounded by, but I never truly appreciated it until I got older because for me this was the ‘norm’, my neighbours, my classmates and people I saw in the
street were always a hodge podge of individuals and that is something special. Why are we as a nation looking to push people out when having a diverse nation is full of so many benefits?
The government seems to be breeding a country that will have a real lack of diversity and global talent if it continues on this way and people decide to start their lives elsewhere if they can, but I suspect that is what the government may have wanted for some time.
It is egregious that couples are being asked (vaguely might I add) to provide a hell of a lot of information for their applications such as years of Messenger logs, An essay about their relationship, numerous pictures, bills and much more. Only to pay months’ worth of their salary during a cost-of-living crisis just for the chance to stick around in a country that seemingly does not wish them to be there.
I appreciate there are those that unfortunately use the Spouse Visa system primarily to enter the nation and essentially fake a relationship to get their foot in the door so there has to be rules and regulations, but are we as a nation really going to punish someone who just so happened to fall in love with a UK resident or citizen.
My wife and I have a young son now and have lived together in the UK for a total of four years, we have built a life here. To know that we are paying so much just for her to potentially get denied and the risk of having to live apart or move to yet another country after we already worked and lived together abroad is extremely difficult.
I appreciate my experience is my own and I know there are those in much more difficult situations than ours, but I can’t help but want to speak out when it’s my family’s future on the line. I do have to wonder if it’s worth raising my family in a country that increases the hurdles for those that genuinely want to live here.
I’d like the government to reconsider these price increases, but we are already part way into this journey with only the NHS costs still set to rise early next year. I do not think my words will change this unfortunately, but I do hope it at least spreads the news, perhaps some of you are thinking of going through the same process or you know a family who is or will be affected.
Overall, it’s a sad situation that I and many other couples find themselves in. I don’t expect that it will get any easier either and I’m sure the prices will continue to rise over the years. The UK is certainly after the commitment of those that wish to join it, but I feel this is only at the detriment of great couples and people that will now not be able to afford to or won’t want to join us after they discover the requirements.
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