UK High Court seeks to lower income threshold for family migrant
A ruling by the UK High Court earlier this year described the required minimum income of at least 18,600 GBP for a spouse or partner visa application as "unjustified and disproportionate". This prompted a move to allow greater flexibility for applicants wishing to obtain a spouse/partner visa for entry to the United Kingdom, specifically where the sponsor is a refugee or British citizen.
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Despite the many potential benefits of the decision, the UK Home Office filed an appeal against the ruling, scheduled for hearing In March 2014. Applications for the spouse/partner or child visa are still open however but under family migration rules, the UK Government will 'pause' consideration of your application until further notice should you not meet the minimum income threshold. If your application has been 'paused' and you withdraw your application, you will receive your passport back, but will lose your application fee. Such decisions seek to satisfy public interest whilst ensuring equality is maintained for all those wishing to migrate to the UK. These views will be reflected in a new Immigration Bill set to be released by the UK Parliament sometime in 2014.