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Topic: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%  (Read 5429 times)

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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2016, 01:32:59 PM »


If someone earns the minimum salary to satisfy the financial requirement (£18,600), they'd take home £15,735. After 5.5 years of earning that and 5.5 years of the visa route above, they'll have paid over 7% of their take-home wages in visa fees (with the fees as they will be in April 2016, not taking into account the extortionate fee increases each year).

You also need to factor in that the minimum wage is rising every year, the personal income tax rate is rising (they pay less tax) and the person on the spouse visa can then also work too and have their own tax allowance (they pay less tax with 2 working than just one person working).


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2016, 01:38:22 PM »
I bet there is a big rise in illegal overstays as a result...

Illegals will be hit by the new Immgation Acts - no working, no driving, landlord sent to jail if they house them, no free NHS, illegal working made a crime with up to 6 months in jail and the prceeds of that cimre seized, no access to foodbanks, fail of "good character" for those who help them and in some cases jail.
« Last Edit: January 12, 2016, 01:42:22 PM by Sirius »


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2016, 01:40:36 PM »

You also need to factor in that the minimum wage is rising every year, the personal income tax rate is rising (they pay less tax) and the person on the spouse visa can then also work too and have their own tax allowance (they pay less tax with 2 working than just one person working).

True, but if fees keep going up by 25% every year, then those much smaller increases in minimum wage and tax allowance will matter little to the overall percentage paid. As for the immigrant spouse's income, while its a common reality that the immigrant spouse is also working, it's clear from the immigration rules (only counting the sponsor's income the first time around) , that the government does not assume this when formulating the rules.

The main thing here is that it is obvious that this is going beyond running costs, or, at the very least, that the government has deluded itself/the public into thinking that immigrants are the only people who use/benefit from border controls and thus should be he only ones who fund it.


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2016, 01:42:51 PM »

Illegals will be hit by the new Immgation Acts, no working, no driving, landlord sent to jail if they house them, no free NHS, illegal working made a crime with up to 6 months in jail, no access to foodbanks, fail of "good character" for those who help them and in some cases jail.

I'm ok with having reasonable penalties for overstayers. We are upset because they are basically imposing financial penalties on people who are trying their hardest to stay legal, and might have their hand forced to become an overstayer due to exorbitant costs to stay legal.


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2016, 01:53:40 PM »
Illegals will be hit by the new Immgation Acts - no working, no driving, landlord sent to jail if they house them, no free NHS, illegal working made a crime with up to 6 months in jail and the prceeds of that cimre seized, no access to foodbanks, fail of "good character" for those who help them and in some cases jail.

I would never advocate someone overstaying illegally.  It's not in my nature.  But you know and I know, that people do it every single day and slip through the cracks.  People will get creative in their uses of services and get away with it.  It happens now and it will continue to happen. 

And Sirius... you have to admit if a couple is making £18.6k a year, that these fees will have a huge impact on their finances.  After all, that's what they want - to make the desire to settle in the UK impossible so that they reduce immigration numbers.

I honestly think each year's increases are a stress test of "how much are people willing to pay?"


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #20 on: January 12, 2016, 01:54:55 PM »
"Rather than looking to restrict immigration to the UK, the Government must be “far more focussed” on ensuring they deliver more doctors, school places and housing to meet demand in highly-populated areas."

 - Jeremy Corbyn

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http://momentum.nationbuilder.com/

I just hope that more people will ignore the fatalism of the argument that we are beyond repair. We are not beyond repair. We are never beyond repair. - AOC


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #21 on: January 12, 2016, 01:58:36 PM »
True, but if fees keep going up by 25% every year, then those much smaller increases in minimum wage and tax allowance will matter little to the overall percentage paid.

We will know the fee rises soon. Did anyone else notice this from that link?

The new legislation will set maximum levels on the amounts for broad categories of fees that can be charged by the Home Office over the next 4 years. There are no current plans to raise fees to the maximum levels.

It's was the "no current plans" that caught my eye.



it's clear from the immigration rules (only counting the sponsor's income the first time around) , that the government does not assume this when formulating the rules.

Unless they are already in the UK on a visa that allows them work, as their salary can be used too to meet the 18.6. Although their savings can be used even if they are outside the UK, including proceeds of their house sale.

What was clear when they made the financial changes was that the 18.6 was set to stop the Brit claiming extra benefits for their spouse via the welfare payment Working Tax Credits, as the couple rate cap for that is about 18k.  Although they had no recourse to public funds, their Brit could claim extra for them through their benefit claim.

« Last Edit: January 12, 2016, 02:01:58 PM by Sirius »


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #22 on: January 12, 2016, 02:11:06 PM »

And Sirius... you have to admit if a couple is making £18.6k a year, that these fees will have a huge impact on their finances.  After all, that's what they want - to make the desire to settle in the UK impossible so that they reduce immigration numbers.

This was all predicted for a foreign spouse on forums in the late 90s, when all the easy work visa routes were created to let in the type of people who would want benefits when they got ILR. One thing that sticks in my mind was that someone said at the time something like - they will have to slam the immigration door shut and it it will have to be shut tighter than it was before these easy visas came in. 

In the early 90s and before, it was easy for a foreign spouse to move to the UK. It's still the easiest visa to get, but is much harder than it was before.


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #23 on: January 12, 2016, 02:11:17 PM »

We will know the fee rises soon. Did anyone else notice this from that link?

The new legislation will set maximum levels on the amounts for broad categories of fees that can be charged by the Home Office over the next 4 years. There are no current plans to raise fees to the maximum levels.

It's was the "no current plans" that caught my eye.



Unless they are already in the UK on a visa that allows them work, as their salary can be used too to meet the 18.6. Although their savings can be used even if they are outside the UK, including proceeds of their house sale.

What was clear was that the 18.6 was set to stop the Brit claiming extra benefits for their spouse via the welfare payment Working Tax Credits, as the couple rate cap for that is about 18k.

I am intimately familiar with all that. The only reason I was able to stay is that I was already here on a tier 4 and working. The concern here is not about those who already easily met the financial requirements or who are extremely lucky to have a huge amount in savings rather than a huge amount in student debt. These rules will never be that onerous on those groups. However, they are extremely difficult on those making the minimum of what the government has deemed to be able to live/support themselves. Taking that much of their yearly income out of play when you have set a level for supposed minimum subsistence is tantamount to criminal in my mind.

I know you differ politically from the vast majority of us on this board, but have a little compassion. Your posts are often extremely cold and unfeeling towards immigrants generally, though factually accurate. Honestly, the tone of your posts often reflect the blind anti-immigrant sentiment of the current government and I know I don't find it particularly nice to be met with that on a board for immigrants. No one here wants to circumvent the rules and I know you know that, but we (the expats) all identify with these struggles and see the injustices of the immigration system getting worse and worse every year. These kinds of rules will decide whether I get to see my family in America on the years when I have a visa renewal. Visa fees don't affect you at all personally but they sure do have an impact on us.


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April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #24 on: January 12, 2016, 02:15:53 PM »

I know you differ politically from the vast majority of us on this board, but have a little compassion. Your posts are often extremely cold and unfeeling towards immigrants generally, though factually accurate. Honestly, the tone of your posts often reflect the blind anti-immigrant sentiment of the current government and I know I don't find it particularly nice to be met with that on a board for immigrants.

Wasn't it you who said you used the warning I posted about marriages, to book your marriage before the rule changes?
« Last Edit: January 12, 2016, 02:18:49 PM by Sirius »


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #25 on: January 12, 2016, 02:21:50 PM »

Wasn't it you who said you used the warning I posted about marriages, to book your marraige before the rule changes?

Yes it was me. And I am extremely thankful for that as I have expressed previously.

I'm not saying you're unwelcome or that you give bad advice. In fact I did point out that  your posts are as factually accurate as anyone else's on here. It's just your tone. You might not mean things the way you come across, and I can accept that just fine. I know that the Internet is not the best at conveying people's attitudes and sentiments sometimes. I was just letting you know how you come across to me, and, I suspect, others here. Admittedly your responses have seemed less harsh more recently, and I am happy to say that. Perhaps I am reading into your posts some things that you said in the past when you were posting under your old name and that is colouring my interpretation. If you don't mean them to be that way, the. I will certainly keep it in mind in he future.


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April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #26 on: January 12, 2016, 02:27:30 PM »
Yes it was me. And I am extremely thankful for that as I have expressed previously.

Now that you have shown your true colours, I'm sorry that warning I gave has helped you. Most people on here are nice and I put the warning to help them.
« Last Edit: January 12, 2016, 02:29:42 PM by Sirius »


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #27 on: January 12, 2016, 02:30:01 PM »
often reflect the blind anti-immigrant sentiment of the current government

Allison, these people (Tories), would deport you in a heartbeat. And laugh at your tears. There is nothing there but hatred and greed.

This is for real. It's not vague stuff off over there somewhere. It's not a case of "Oh gosh you know how government is". It is a concerted effort by the Conservative Party to enact a sick and twisted ideology.
I just hope that more people will ignore the fatalism of the argument that we are beyond repair. We are not beyond repair. We are never beyond repair. - AOC


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Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #28 on: January 12, 2016, 02:30:47 PM »
Now that you have shown your true colours, I'm sorry that warning I gave has helped you.

What true colours exactly are those? I was simply telling you how your posts come across to me. I have openly admitted that I could be wrong about your intended tone and encouraged you to correct me if I am mistaken or misguided. This is part of mature and open communication. On the other hand, implying that you wish that I had been separated from my husband indefinitely is probably a much greater indictment of your character than my comments were of mine.


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« Last Edit: January 12, 2016, 02:33:36 PM by alisonr »
April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #29 on: January 12, 2016, 02:45:28 PM »
This was all predicted for a foreign spouse on forums in the late 90s, when all the easy work visa routes were created to let in the type of people who would want benefits when they got ILR. One thing that sticks in my mind was that someone said at the time something like - they will have to slam the immigration door shut and it it will have to be shut tighter than it was before these easy visas came in. 

In the early 90s and before, it was easy for a foreign spouse to move to the UK. It's still the easiest visa to get, but is much harder than it was before.

I get that, I really do.  I just always feel a bit of guilt that my poor husband got caught in my web!  If he had married a nice British girl, he wouldn't have to pay out all of this money to the government.  Stupid speed dating...   :P

Then again if he had pulled his finger out and married me a couple of weeks earlier, I would already have citizenship.   ::)


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