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I see that the most powerful woman in the UK chose #IWD19 to release her latest plan to save the economy by bankrupting immigrants... https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/784340/Fees_table_-_March_2019.pdf">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/governmen...
My visa journey ended ten years ago, when I became a citizen. If we had to start over again today? We simply couldn& #39;t.
My visa journey ended ten years ago, when I became a citizen. If we had to start over again today? We simply couldn& #39;t.
Let& #39;s do a little comparison, shall we? One thing to keep in mind is that during the period that I was a visa-national, Further Leave to Remain (FLR) was a two-year (24mo) visa and only one FLR period was required before one could apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Another is that I was eligible to naturalise as a spouse of a UK citizen after three years of being legally resident in the UK, as long as I had obtained ILR, and the time I spent on a fiance/proposed civil partnership visa counted towards this period. These days? Five years.
All three of my visa applications - fiance/proposed CP, FLR, and ILR - were made in person, at consulates, with same-day decisions. This service isn& #39;t even offered anymore.
Finally, there was no income requirement to meet when I was applying for my visas. My sponsor (husband) simply had to prove that he made enough money to support me w/out applying for benefits on my behalf. (We would have met the income requirement, but that& #39;s beside the point.)
Okay, so. Let& #39;s take a look.
Visa #1, fiance/proposed CP, giving us six months to marry & apply for next visa: applied for in person at the NYC consulate in August 2006.
2006 cost (in person, priority service): £395
2019 cost (postal app w/super priority service): £2,479
Visa #1, fiance/proposed CP, giving us six months to marry & apply for next visa: applied for in person at the NYC consulate in August 2006.
2006 cost (in person, priority service): £395
2019 cost (postal app w/super priority service): £2,479
Visa #2, Further Leave to Remain, giving me two further years of residence in the UK: applied for in person at Liverpool PEO in February 2007.
2007 cost (in person, priority service) £585
2019 cost (postal app w/super priority service): £1,833
2007 cost (in person, priority service) £585
2019 cost (postal app w/super priority service): £1,833
Visa #3, Indefinite Leave to Remain, giving me settled status in the UK (think US green card): applied for in person at Sheffield PEO in February 2009.
2009 cost (in person, priority service) £920
2019 cost (postal app w/super priority service): £3,189
2009 cost (in person, priority service) £920
2019 cost (postal app w/super priority service): £3,189
Naturalisation as a UK citizen, giving me the right to vote and freeing me from all visa restrictions: applied for via post (only option) & including the Life in the UK test & citizenship ceremony, in September 2009.
2009 cost (postal app) £770
2019 cost (postal app): £1,460
2009 cost (postal app) £770
2019 cost (postal app): £1,460
Cost of my actual visa journey, with 3 of 4 decisions made same-day: £2,670
Cost of the same journey today (not including additional FLR visa required to make up qualifying period for ILR), with all applications made via post: £8,961
With required extra FLR visa: £10,794
Cost of the same journey today (not including additional FLR visa required to make up qualifying period for ILR), with all applications made via post: £8,961
With required extra FLR visa: £10,794
