30-Year UK Resident Appeals for Family Reunification

[inxsh1]

My story reflects the challenges faced by many long-standing residents in the UK navigating a complex and unforgiving immigration system

I arrived in the UK in 1995 as a young 24-year-old student. Over the past 30 years, I have built my life here, establishing a successful career, becoming a homeowner, contributing to the economy through taxes and National Insurance, and maintaining a spotless record. This country has become my home in every sense of the word.

Despite my deep roots in the UK, my wife and young children are still overseas. I applied for entry clearance for them to join me, only for the application to be refused. The refusal was based on the conclusion that there were no “exceptional circumstances” under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. However, this decision has caused immense emotional and financial strain on my family.

To date, the visa application process has cost £25,000, being forced into an endless cycle of applications, appeals and expensive fees – in the last 8 years alone, 2016 & 2024 fees, the immigration Visa fees have increased by 61%, the Immigration Health Surcharge ( IHS / NHS ) fees increased by 417% with the Total fees having increased by 216% as seen in the table below –

Year Visa Fees % Increase IHS Fees % Increase Total % Increase
2016 £649 0% £500 0% £1,149 0%
2024 £1,048 61% £2,587 417% £3,635 216%

The hostile environment remains a reality. In 2012, individuals could apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 14 years of residence in the UK. However, this route was abolished, and the requirement now stands at 20 years of residence. Even after meeting this criterion, applicants must renew their visas every 2.5 years for a further 10 years at an average cost of £3,500 per renewal, including IHS / NHS fees (which are also paid through National Insurance deductions). In today’s fees, this totals approximately £14,000. Effectively, you need to have lived in the UK for 30 years and spent £14,000 before becoming eligible to apply for ILR. Additionally, if you are a European national with limited leave to remain in the UK, you are allowed to bring your family. However, if you are not a European national and hold the same visa, you are not permitted to do so.

The separation is having an unbearable impact on my wife, my children, and myself. My youngest child, is growing up without her father during these crucial developmental years. Each day apart feels like an eternity, filled with longing and sadness.

I have a mortgage, a pension I am close to drawing, and strong social and cultural ties here. The toll of this separation is deeply affecting my mental health and my ability to focus on work, while my wife and children endure similar hardships overseas.
 
Cases like mine highlight the disproportionate financial and emotional burden placed on families by the UK’s immigration system. It is heart-breaking for someone who has fully integrated into British society and contributed positively for decades, faces such immense obstacles to reuniting with my loved ones.
I have seen the media amplify the stories of others (not forgetting the Windrush victims) in similar circumstances, such as the recent case of a Ghanian Man, Mr Nelson Shardey, who has lived in the UK since 1977; came to UK when he was 28 on a student visa, and in 2019 having lived here for 42 was told by the Home Office he has to apply for the 10 year route before he can be granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR) which he appealed against and succeeded with the media support and he was granted ILR in July 2024 (this is his story on BBC website: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98q08npq28o).

I believe my story and the struggles of many others in my position deserve the same spotlight to drive change and compel the immigration system to recognise exceptional cases. Sharing my story could shed light on the challenges faced by long-term residents and their families, and perhaps lead to some reform in the immigration process. Thank you.

[blondesafari]

Which visas have you applied for in relation to your wife and children?
What are the aes of your children?
What is your current Immigration status?
Which country does your family reside in?