New UK spouse visa rule to hit Bangladeshis
Reported by: Masudul Haque, back from London
Reported on: July 08, 2012 17:56 PM
Reported in: National
Reported on: July 08, 2012 17:56 PM
Reported in: National
Dhaka, July 08 (UNB) – The British government has set out stricter visa criteria for visitors, including abolishing the right of appeal for spouses of UK citizens who have been refused visa for a short visit to the UK.
UK Immigration and Border Agencies sources said a bill in this regard was placed in parliament and ratified and will be made into law on Monday (July 9).
UK immigration law experts said once effective the law will affect UK residents from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan as a large number of citizens of the three countries are either living permanently in the UK or temporarily staying there on various grounds.
In addition, immigrant students who have been pursuing their studies in the UK will also be hit hard by the new law, they cautioned.
They said the law has been made mainly to bar relatives and spouses coming to the UK to see family members and automatically settling there.
According to the new bill, the vast majority of applicants will lose the right to appeal to reconsider their family visitor visa, which means expatriates and the UK citizens who have originated from the three South Asian and other countries would lose the full right to appeal.
One of the main features of the law is that a citizen who wants to bring his/her spouse to the UK is required to be employed there for at least six months with a minimum monthly salary of 18,600 pounds.
In case of a citizen with a child, the amount of minimum monthly salary must be 22,400 pound and 24,800 pound for those who have more than one child, UK border agency sources said.
“A vast majority of Bangladeshi applicants would lose their right to appeal to have their family visitor visa refusal reconsidered,” a Bangladeshi born immigration lawyer told this correspondent when asked for an instant reaction to the bill.
Saifur Rahman Sumon, a Bangladeshi-origin youth who has been staying in the UK for eight years, voiced concern at the passage of the new bill, saying it will hit Bangladeshis particularly hard since they are rarely paid such a fat monthly salary in Britain.
Sumon, who hails from Sylhet, said the law needed to be reviewed taking into account the economic status of Asian immigrants, particularly Bangladeshis.
Helal Uddin, who hails from Moulvibazar and went to the UK on a student visa about a couple of years ago, told UNB that students, too, will be adversely affected by the new law.
From now on, it will be difficult for students who have been staying in the UK for a long time to bring their parents and close relatives here on visitor visa as they have lost their right to appeal, said Helal.
However, British High Commission sources in Dhaka said refused applicants will still be able to appeal on limited grounds of human rights or racial discrimination.
Immigration sources said a small number of exceptional migrants will be able to stay permanently but for the majority, going to Britain to work will not lead to automatic settlement.
Besides, from now on, passing of a new test called `Britishness Test` is mandatory for anyone applying to stay permanently in the UK, sources said.
In cases of spouse visa, five years’ probationary period instead of the earlier two years will be given in the case of Leave to Remain appeal.
If permitted, the sponsors will have to give undertakings that the visitors will not seek any benefit before five years of their stay in UK.
Students will have to face similar stringent rules to bring in their close relatives.
In case of convicts, those who have been handed down 12 months’ imprisonment will be repatriated to the country of their origin.
But those who have been living in the UK for more than 20 years will be exempted and can apply to stay there permanently, according to the law.
Defending the law, UK Immigration Minister Damian Greene said the immigration law needed to be changed.
Speaking to journalists last month he said: ``Settlement has become almost automatic for those who chose to stay. This needs to be changed``.
The government has committed to reforming all routes of entry to the UK in order to bring immigration levels under control,” the British immigration minister added.
UK Immigration and Border Agencies sources said a bill in this regard was placed in parliament and ratified and will be made into law on Monday (July 9).
UK immigration law experts said once effective the law will affect UK residents from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan as a large number of citizens of the three countries are either living permanently in the UK or temporarily staying there on various grounds.
In addition, immigrant students who have been pursuing their studies in the UK will also be hit hard by the new law, they cautioned.
They said the law has been made mainly to bar relatives and spouses coming to the UK to see family members and automatically settling there.
According to the new bill, the vast majority of applicants will lose the right to appeal to reconsider their family visitor visa, which means expatriates and the UK citizens who have originated from the three South Asian and other countries would lose the full right to appeal.
One of the main features of the law is that a citizen who wants to bring his/her spouse to the UK is required to be employed there for at least six months with a minimum monthly salary of 18,600 pounds.
In case of a citizen with a child, the amount of minimum monthly salary must be 22,400 pound and 24,800 pound for those who have more than one child, UK border agency sources said.
“A vast majority of Bangladeshi applicants would lose their right to appeal to have their family visitor visa refusal reconsidered,” a Bangladeshi born immigration lawyer told this correspondent when asked for an instant reaction to the bill.
Saifur Rahman Sumon, a Bangladeshi-origin youth who has been staying in the UK for eight years, voiced concern at the passage of the new bill, saying it will hit Bangladeshis particularly hard since they are rarely paid such a fat monthly salary in Britain.
Sumon, who hails from Sylhet, said the law needed to be reviewed taking into account the economic status of Asian immigrants, particularly Bangladeshis.
Helal Uddin, who hails from Moulvibazar and went to the UK on a student visa about a couple of years ago, told UNB that students, too, will be adversely affected by the new law.
From now on, it will be difficult for students who have been staying in the UK for a long time to bring their parents and close relatives here on visitor visa as they have lost their right to appeal, said Helal.
However, British High Commission sources in Dhaka said refused applicants will still be able to appeal on limited grounds of human rights or racial discrimination.
Immigration sources said a small number of exceptional migrants will be able to stay permanently but for the majority, going to Britain to work will not lead to automatic settlement.
Besides, from now on, passing of a new test called `Britishness Test` is mandatory for anyone applying to stay permanently in the UK, sources said.
In cases of spouse visa, five years’ probationary period instead of the earlier two years will be given in the case of Leave to Remain appeal.
If permitted, the sponsors will have to give undertakings that the visitors will not seek any benefit before five years of their stay in UK.
Students will have to face similar stringent rules to bring in their close relatives.
In case of convicts, those who have been handed down 12 months’ imprisonment will be repatriated to the country of their origin.
But those who have been living in the UK for more than 20 years will be exempted and can apply to stay there permanently, according to the law.
Defending the law, UK Immigration Minister Damian Greene said the immigration law needed to be changed.
Speaking to journalists last month he said: ``Settlement has become almost automatic for those who chose to stay. This needs to be changed``.
The government has committed to reforming all routes of entry to the UK in order to bring immigration levels under control,” the British immigration minister added.
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