A London-based father, currently residing in temporary accommodation alongside his wife and four children, faces the daunting challenge of raising more than £17,000 to secure his family’s continued presence in the UK, Standard has reported. This financial hurdle arises from the UK government’s proposed hike in visa fees for individuals following the 10-year path to settlement.
The Home Office recently unveiled a substantial increase in visa fees, with most categories experiencing a surge of up to 35 percent for those seeking to live, work, or study in the UK. Furthermore, a 20 percent fee escalation has been indicated for individuals on the 10-year visa route aspiring to attain indefinite leave to remain, a situation similar to that of Felix Tabiri.
Felix Tabiri, a 53-year-old security guard hailing from Ghana, anticipates the need to cover approximately £17,284 in immigration expenses for his wife and three children, all under the age of 11, considering the impending fee hike. Notably, his stepdaughter possesses British citizenship.
These mounting costs encompass a government-proposed 66 percent surge in the annual healthcare surcharge, a mandatory requirement for most migrants.
Expressing his concerns, Tabiri remarked, “These escalating fees are bound to exert a severe impact on families and family life. It’s becoming increasingly unfeasible for people to maintain their lives in this country. It’s disheartening to witness the government implementing these changes. For those already residing here with or without families, the prospect of affording these fees is extremely challenging.”
Families that do not meet the criteria for the five-year residency route in the UK but maintain immediate family connections or long-term ties to the nation can opt for the 10-year route leading to indefinite leave to remain.
This pathway is commonly chosen by parents whose children hold British citizenship and have resided in the UK for seven years.
Under this scheme, families must apply for limited leave to remain every 2.5 years, translating to four visa applications to be covered over a decade before they become eligible to seek permanent settlement.
Mr. Tabiri revealed that numerous families, already grappling with the financial burden of previous visa fees, now face the risk of falling into undocumented status while attempting to secure their place in the UK.
In an effort to mitigate the increased financial strain, Mr. Tabiri has applied for a visa fee waiver with support from the migrant charity Praxis. He has already taken out loans to cover past visa expenses, and now the additional costs loom as a significant challenge.
For over ten months, Mr. Tabiri, his wife, and their children (aged 10, eight, three, and one) have been residing in temporary accommodation due to the prohibitively high costs of both living and visa applications.
Previously, they were forced to share a single room at a friend’s residence in order to make ends meet, a situation that had an adverse impact on his daughter’s academic progress.
Mr. Tabiri, who has been a resident of the UK since 2003 and suffers from a severe heart condition, visits the hospital nearly every day. Leaving the country would pose insurmountable challenges for both him and his children, especially considering that one of them was born in the UK.
The Immigration and Nationality Regulations of 2023 state the government’s intent to implement a 20 percent increase in Limited Leave to Remain fees, specifically the £1,048 fee.
However, technical arrangements are pending, and the increase has not yet been incorporated into the current regulations. Additionally, the health surcharge is poised to rise by 66 percent to £1,035 per year, with the completion of the legal process anticipated by 2024.
A spokesperson from the Home Office defended the fee hikes, emphasizing the necessity to secure funding for vital public services and contribute to the salaries of public sector employees.
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