Before you permanently move to the US

[Justine+David 218]

The Kingdom is pounded by immigrants from India and the Middle East. There is a not-so-silent uproar among the British population, demanding that the U-kay government puts a stop to this invasion that causes the Brits to lose their sense of nationality. Now the British government has done what the U.S. government will do eventually: pass an immigration reform that makes it harder for foreigners from far, far away to emigrate to the U-kay. Yet now some complain about this. Eighteen thousand pounds Sterling per year for a family of two is not an unreasonable income, me thinks.

I actually somewhat agree about the minimum amount, BUT co-sponsorship should be allowed. David and I would never move to the UK to be "sponges" off the government. He is a teacher. I will be a nurse practitioner in the field of neonatology. My field is much more specialized, so David cannot simply go get a job as a teacher somewhere randomly so that we can meet the requirements and then me move over trying to find a job there in that field because while there is a shortage of them, it's not as common as being a teacher and what would be the point of being in the UK if we lived 300 miles away from each other? He cannot simply quit his job in the middle of the school year.

Co-sponsorship would allow me to get residency and then get a job and have that determine where we live. Nurse Practitioners are paid at band 8a and start out at 38,000 pounds (more with experience). David would start out minimum 22,000 pounds (probably more since he would have experience). 60,000 pounds is more than enough to live on and we would be directly contributing to British society in shortage areas (NPs are a new role in the NHS and are enormously cost-saving for socialized medicine and I can't understand why they weren't utilized more years ago...David teaches high school physics. Enough said.)

And what about same sex couples that cannot live in the USA together, yet fall short of the requirements and need a co-sponsor until both of them start working?

If the co-sponsor is financially responsible for the immigrant, I don't understand why Parliament is so up in arms about it. What are they losing if they allow co-sponsorship?

I agree that immigration to the UK seemed too easy a few months ago, but this has tightened things up so much that they are shooting themselves in the foot. Maybe they forget that immigration is also a positive thing, bringing in many talented and productive people (Albert Einstein as an immigrant to the USA comes to mind).

Edited September 29, 2012 by Justine+David

[Boiler 45,753]

There are exceptions that prove the rule but the UK has seem the negative side.

In Spades.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

There are exceptions that prove the rule but the UK has seem the negative side.

In Spades.

...and these new rules will do very little to change things.

[Boiler 45,753]

But it lets the Politicians appear to be doing something.

Which seems to be the only thing that matters.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

To me, this policy just seems to scream "We believe in the class system" especially when you consider the initial amount. What will be telling is the next couple of years. Will the minimum go up while the average wage goes down?

[snapdragon 9]

Hello all, been a while since I've been here. Wondered if you had all seen this recent article in the Scottish Herald which refers to the new immigration rules.

[TracyTN 237]

Just another cog in the wheel, I'm afraid. He isn't unique - but his case is a perfect reflection of how jacked up it all is.

[Krikit 1,165]

Eighteen thousand pounds Sterling per year for a family of two is not an unreasonable income, me thinks.

You are quite right. But it has to be the British citizen with the income.... not the spouse. That's the point. Or, at least, one of the points. There are many more stated if you'd read the thread.

Edited October 9, 2012 by Krikit

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Hello all, been a while since I've been here. Wondered if you had all seen this recent article in the Scottish Herald which refers to the new immigration rules.

Thanks, snapdragon. Nice find.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I found the comments section funny "yet another reason for Scottish Independence" etc....

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Having said that, I'd love to know how Scottish independence would effect the whole process if at all.

It said the guy in the article's wife was Scottish, but she was visiting her father in Italy - if she has an Italian connection/citizenship, I wonder if there is a third way?

And that brings up something I hadn't thought of - how do these new procedures effect the partners of non-British EU citizens living in the UK? Do EU citizens have to meet the same income thresholds to a sponsor spouse? I suspect not, which hardly seems fair, since EU citizens can avail themselves of a benefits system they may not have been paying into for that long.

[Justine+David 218]

Tromp, they don't due to the EU laws.

Effectively, a German national could bring his American wife to live in the UK and no questions asked. Over on the UK-Yankee forum, people were talking about moving to a country like Belgium first to establish residency.

But yeah, how is it fair that a non-UK citizen gets to bring whoever they want over just because they live in the EU and UK citizens are subject to such laws??

[TracyTN 237]

That is totally f'ed up. But it just proves again how poorly thought out this 'plan' was.

[Justine+David 218]

Perhaps things will change with the next election with Labour in power again...we can only hope.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Good morning, weekend warriors!

Those of you who "facebook" might want to start reading the "UKBA in the USA" page. Read the "posts by others" for reports of several recent denials under these new rules.