To want my husband to meet the rest of my family....?

[jmoore90]

Greetings Mumsnetters from a long-time lurker!
Please give me some help.
I am British and live in Kenya with my Kenyan husband and our 7 month old baby.
This year we planned to visit my family in Scotland over Christmas. We were really looking forwards to this as most of my family have not yet met my husband or our son.
However my husband's Family Visit Visa for a 13 day visit was refused. We had provided in the application, among many other things, evidence of our marriage, baby's birth certificate, invitational letter from my father, bank statements, payslips, letters from our places of work confirming we have leave and they are expecting us back in January, tickets for return flights already paid... the refusal letter even acknowledged that the costs of the visit were fully covered yet still concluded;

'I am not satisfied that a visit to the UK is commensurate with your social or economic circumstances. Therefore I am not satisfied that you are a genuine family visitor or that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your proposed visit….'

I literally don't know what else we can do to prove to them that he is a genuine family visitor!
I am really upset by this - if my husband is not allowed entry to the UK he may never meet many members of my family who are elderly or otherwise unable to travel.


If you feel able, please do support us by signing and sharing this petition;

www.change.org/p/sarah-rapson-don-t-let-our-family-be-split-up-for-christmas-approve-a-visa-for-kizito-wafula-okumu

If anyone else has further advice or support, please do let me know! It is so important to me (I think understandably!) that my husband be able to visit my home, and meet my family, and so upsetting that it may not be possible :(

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this.

[HeartHasShattered]

Have you taken legal advice?

Only I'm under the impression that there is a backlog of petitions, and that if you were to reach the required amount today, it'd be around Feb before it was debated. So too late for Christmas.

It does sound disappointing, but hopefully a solicitor who understands the UK system might be able to advise on why he was rejected in simple terms, and what you could try to do to show that you would be leaving at the end of the allowed period.

[Tammy1212]

That's so weird how can they prove it? Sounds like they're just being asses anyway il sign your petition, good luck x

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

I have a friend who is currently jumping through hoops to get to spend two weeks with her Nigerian boyfriend (together three years, talk daily, he studied over here, v.highly educated and a high earner etc) so I will sign!

Fucking barmy the whole system.

[PinkSnowAndStars]

I've signed it. Good luck x

[Longdistance]

Signed.

Good luck with it xx

[HelloitsmeFell]

What I don't understand about this, is that British people of Indian or Pakistani heritage bring new spouses over to the UK all the blinking time, as the result of arranged marriages, and sometimes/often they haven't even met their spouse beforehand.

They definitely don't have any intention of returning to wherever they came from, they come to the UK with the express intention of staying here with their new British spouse. Their income or lack of it in their home country is irrelevant, so why should this be any different?

I understand the need to exercise caution but there are glaring inconsistencies in the system that don't make any sense to me.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

I think it is based on the specific.country. Certain countries are granted visas much much easier than citizens of others.....It could be down to some old political/trade related history or similar.

[AnneElliott]

They will be concerned that once you get here, your DH will make an in country application for a spouse visa. However if you both have jobs, then it does seem a bit harsh and I would have granted it ( I used to work for UKBA).

Is there still a right of appeal for family visits? If so , I think it likely you will win on appeal.

[jmoore90]

Thanks for your replies and support. Anne, there is no right of appeal...
This is the 3rd time he has had a visa refused. Applied last year twice as a General Visit Visa as we were not yet married - the first time I think we were a bit uninformed and did not include enough information. The second time it was basically all about my husband's financial status, even though they could see the visit was paid for. We thought it might be different this time with a family visa but refused again.
The ONLY points which they raised in the letter as reasons for refusal were, the level of my husband's income, the amount in our bank accounts and his lack of property/other savings etc.

[DontWorrryBaldrickHasACunningP]

Complete madness, signed and will also share for you.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Surely he and your baby are legally allowed to come here as they're your family ?

Are you allowed to bring your baby here?

[HelloitsmeFell]

Yes of course she could come alone but she wants her DH to visit.

[NeedABumChangeNotANameChange]

How long have you been married/together? Does that make a difference?

I know it's not the same but you can still take your son on your own to see your relatives can't you or is your son not allowed either?

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Have you spoken to your MP? It was amazing how quickly my visa got sorted in Canada when I did that.

[Womble1975]

Have signed. Had similar issues with my husbands family. Best of luck and I hope UKBA actually see sense x

[Asheth]

Signed - hope you get your Christmas.

[Gruntfuttock]

MrsTerryPratchett "Have you spoken to your MP? It was amazing how quickly my visa got sorted in Canada when I did that."

Would a Kenyan MP hold much sway with UK Immigration?

[PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange]

Could it be too many application within a certain time frame.

[marcopront]

I think you need more evidence you will come back. Just having return flights and being expected back at work is not enough. I don't know what evidence you can provide though.
There are plenty of Kenyans living illegally in the UK and some of them have married UK citizens in order to get there. I get this information from my Kenyan ex partner. More than one person was amazed he split up with me rather than marrying me and getting a spouse visa.
When my Dad sponsored my then partner for his student visa, he was asked why he would sponsor someone he had never met, that man being the father of his granddaughter wasn't seen as a good reason. They also queried in the first application why my Dad didn't show evidence of money in addition to the money required for the sponsorship. I think there are people at the visa place don't like British women being in relationships with Kenyan men.
Sorry no real advice but lots of sympathy.

[Coyoacan]

This is dreadful. As someone who lives abroad, I am furious that the UK authorities can effectively exile UK citizens by not allowing them to bring their spouses to the UK.

[Tryharder]

You have a right of appeal as a family visitor which you should exercise.