Need support in remaining in UK with my family. Can you help?

[englishgarden370]

Hi Everyone,

I am an American citizen. My husband and two children are British citizens. I am having to make an application for Leave to Remain in the UK with them and as a precautionary measurement I have started a petition to aid in my application to remain in them. It used to be that anyone who married a British citizen had the right to stay in the country with them but so many immigrants have taken advantage in the past just to gain citizenship that the government has made it much more complicated and expensive now. My three year old son had autism and Sensory Integration Disorder. I am everything to him and my family is my whole world. If any of you could possibly take a second to read my petition and if you were happy to sign it, in support of my application to remain with them, I would be extremely grateful!

Thank you so much for your consideration!
Jennifer

[englishgarden370]

It's ok, really. Never mind. But thanks to the few of you who were nice enough not to make me feel entirely unwelcome here.

[Tiggeryoubastard]

Ht didn't you get it sorted before having children. Or did you think you could railroad it by having them and using them as a bargaining tool?

[expatinscotland]

So if you are sorting your visa, what's the problem? Actually, no one has the right to travel here on a visitor's visa, it's up to the discretion of the immigration authorities. And you are coming here to live, not tour around. I'm surprised you haven't been turned back already.

These rules are not new. They have been out for a while, as has the cost of the visas and other requirements (such as age, to try to avoid forced marriages of young people).

There were years for the pair of you to work out how to earn that type of money needed.

[MaudGonneMad]

Flounce, flounce, flounce

You still haven't linked to your petition...

[ihavenonameonhere]

Is your husband working? Can he ask for a pay rise? Can be get a 2nd job if that counts.

[Footle]

This law was only enacted in July 2012. OP was already living here at that point. So many people are ignorant of what this law means and how it is destroying families.

[LunchpackOfNotreDame]

I would put money on him not increasing his hours because then they'd lose tax credits...not that I'm cynical

[ihavenonameonhere]

www.change.org/p/uk-home-office-please-grant-me-leave-to-remain-in-the-uk-with-my-husband-and-children

[expatinscotland]

That's three years ago, Lunch.

[LunchpackOfNotreDame]

What's 3 years ago?

[LunchpackOfNotreDame]

Hang on £18,6 for no children. £22400 for one child then an additional £2400 per child thereafter

[expatinscotland]

The rule changes. That's plenty of time.

[LunchpackOfNotreDame]

Which rule changes?

Now I'm lost

[sugar21]

You really dont want to know what I think. Suffice to say I am in agreement with most of pps.

[expatinscotland]

The ones with financial requirements for bringing your non-EU national spouse to the UK.

[Tiggeryoubastard]

I think you meant to reply to footle, expat. That's who said it was 2012. You're right, though, three years!

[Bogeyface]

Someone in my situation would be doing the same thing in the US... trying to gain as much support as possible. No different.

It is very different.

Sorry to pull this one out but in the UK things like that are viewed very differently. In the US its ok to shout and scream and make a fuss as it often has results, in the UK it works in the opposite way. It makes people view you with suspicion and wonder why you need to make such a fuss instead of simply following the rules.

Thats why I said that my genuinely meant advice was to nix the petition for the moment.

To put it into perspective, there has been a long running campaign to keep a woman in the UK who will be forced to perform female genital mutilation in her village if she is repatriated. If she doesnt return to the village after going back to her country or does go to the village and then refuses to perform FGM, she will be murdered. The elders believe that only certain women should perform FGM, it passed from mother to daughter, so no other woman will do in their eyes and only on the event of her death with no children can the office be passed to another woman. Her petition hasnt changed the Home Offices mind thus far.

Your petition, if it even gets noticed by them which in all honesty it probably wont, will not make a tiny bit of difference at this stage. You need to apply, jump through the legal hoops and wait and see. Dont draw attention to yourself, please! It really wont help.

[Fairenuff]

Will you be in trouble when they realise you applied for travel visas when, in reality, you weren't travelling but living with your husband and children? Did you lie on the application forms?

[MargoReadbetter]

I feel a lot of sympathy for the OP (travels, meets, marries, children). I think the petition is the wrong way to go about it, but I'm no solicitor. Good luck.

[BubsandMoo]

I'm confused as to why you didn't apply for a visa much sooner, tbh. My cousin married a non-EU citizen and she applied for a visa the next day. IIRC he had to show financial security to sponsor her.

[swimmerforlife]

Well I've signed it, no one should have to be separated from their children. As someone who is married to British DH but is a foreigner (I am v v lucky I gained British citizenship through my English dad). I feel for you.

OP

[MissFitt68]

It's cheaper all round for the uk to keep op here. With SN kids involved, who would care for them if she had to leave?

[expatinscotland]

They changed the rules about marrying on a visitor's visa, too. Can't remember how long ago that was.

[Bogeyface]

I agree MissFitt but the problem is that the OP is going about it all the wrong ways.

[swimmerforlife]

And if you guys read the petition, it says that they cannot move to the US as her husband has a disabled son from a previous relationship.