Calls to reform family visa rules as Brits face being split up from partners
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Reports reveal ‘significant harm’ caused by UK’s family visa rules
- British citizens are facing significant challenges due to the UK's family visa rules, particularly the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR).
- David Todd, a British father-to-be, says he feels "completely helpless" and like a "second-class citizen" because his American wife's income cannot be counted towards the threshold.
- New reports from charities Reunite Families UK and Coram detail the "significant emotional and psychological harm" inflicted by the policy, including long-term separation of children from parents and discrimination against certain groups.
- The Migration Advisory Committee recently reviewed the MIR, warning against raising it to the higher skilled worker threshold of £38,700.
- Advocates are urging the government to reform the system by abolishing or reducing the MIR, simplifying application processes, and allowing spouses' incomes to contribute to the requirement to prevent family separation.