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Some updates [with a sigh] on the @ukhomeoffice income requirements that threaten to separate families living in the UK
The govt planned to reinstate income requirements for people with a non-EU partner on 31 July
The govt planned to reinstate income requirements for people with a non-EU partner on 31 July
With the country entering the worst recession in living memory, asking people to earn a certain amount of money or risk losing their right to a family life is... I've struggled to think of an adjective, so I'll leave it at that
So 39 MPs from across the House wrote to the Home Secretary on 29 July, warning her that reinstating the rule would have devastating consequences, and calling for a full review
The response? Tumbleweed
The response? Tumbleweed
31 July came and went. The tens of thousands of families subject to the income requirement worried that a drop in their income due to COVID would start counting against their future applications from that date on
Cut to 14 August. Still no word from Priti Patel in response to that cross-party group of MPs who wrote to warn her of the consequences of her policies
But someone at the Home Office realised that the advice on their coronavirus page was by now two weeks out of date. And so they updated it - they changed '31 July' to '31 August' in the copy
We've got used to them going right up to the deadline to make big policy changes (e.g. announcing an extension to the extension 9 days before it ran out, potentially making tens of thousands undocumented)
But two weeks *after* the deadline?? That's new
But two weeks *after* the deadline?? That's new
A note: they not only changed the advice seemingly without telling anyone, but also without letting *other sections of the Home Office* know. The guidance for spouse visa applicants hasn't been updated since 17 July, and still says that the MIR will be brought back after 31 July
According to the updated Home Office website (but not the guidance, still), they're now expecting everyone's income to be back to pre-pandemic levels by 1 September. If it's not, cross-border families face being denied the visas they need to stay together
Imagine your family's future being in these hands. This shit is all too real for people, people who are being affected right now by uncertainty and anxiety. And it's all completely avoidable
Instead of seeing officials scramble around at the last minute to change the wording of the rules, these families deserve real change. The review that MPs have called for wouldn't be a bad start
Anyway, another day of the Home Office being tiring. The updated page of coronavirus advice is here, FWIW https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents#if-youre-in-the-uk-and-your-leave-expired-between-24-january-2020-and-31-july-2020
And if you've made it this far, and you're as frustrated as I am, please write to your MP! This won't change unless we make it change https://www.jcwi.org.uk/ask-your-mp-to-protect-families-affected-by-covid-19
Fun update: The day after this thread pointed out that the @ukhomeoffice had seemingly forgotten to update their guidance on MIR and COVID-19, that guidance was miraculously updated
There are now 7 days until that extended deadline, when the Home Office says it'll start demanding that people earn above a certain amount or risk having their families separated, in the 'normal' way and in line with the 'normal' rules
We've already seen several families refused visas because they didn't meet all the income requirements during the pandemic - despite promises of leniency from ministers and civil servants
So when the requirements come back into force on 1 September, as is currently the plan, I worry about what it will mean for families
I really do hate to sound like a broken record but...write to your MP? https://www.jcwi.org.uk/ask-your-mp-to-protect-families-affected-by-covid-19
I really do hate to sound like a broken record but...write to your MP? https://www.jcwi.org.uk/ask-your-mp-to-protect-families-affected-by-covid-19
