Immigration rules stop family from relocating

Immigration rules stop family from relocating

10 February 2016

A BALLYNAHINCH man has warned that strict financial immigration rules have left his family exiled in the Philippines.

Thirty year-old Gavin Lucas says his four month old baby Marcus is being denied his birthright by “draconian” rules that prevent his family from relocating to Northern Ireland.

Gavin left Ballynahinch nine years ago, travelling and working through Australia, Thailand and Indonesia where he met his wife Karla, who is a teacher.

After getting married, the couple moved to Karla’s home in the Philippines where their baby was born last September.

However, Gavin said his family’s plans were turned upside down shortly after Marcus’ birth when oil prices crashed, leaving the engineer unexpectedly out of work.

Unwilling to complain about their change of fortunes, Gavin said he instead decided to relocate home where he hoped his son, who is eligible for British citizenship, would have the same opportunities he had as a child.

However, he said he was stunned to discover immigration restrictions that effectively prevent his wife from returning home with him and Marcus.

He said these rules mean he would have to leave his wife for six months, secure employment with a salary of more than £18,600 before beginning the potentially lengthy process of applying for a spouse’s visa.

He said this seemed like an insurmountable task that means he, and many others like him, are unwelcome in their homeland.

“Living in the Philippines is not the best course of action for my son’s future since I can’t work while oil prices remain depressed,” said Gavin.

“As a dad, my perspective flipped 180 degrees and I realised how much of a privilege it is to grow up in the UK. I want my son, who is eligible to become a British citizen by default, to have the same life and opportunities I did.

“I was stunned by what I discovered, that while my son and I could return home immediately and without restriction, my wife would be eligible to visit but she would have to leave and return home after 180 days.

“I would be able to apply for a spouse visa for her, but that I would have to first return home alone, secure a job earning a minimum of £18,600 per year, and then wait to be able to show evidence of six months of pay cheques and proof of address spanning the same period, before we could even begin the legal process of applying to reunite our family.

“To sum up, I found that it was now practically impossible for me to return home. Legally possible but practically impossible.

“I can’t conceive of leaving my family for up to a year. All I want is the chance to come back to the place I was born and raised, to work, pay our taxes, and contribute to society.

“We deserve a right to family life just like anyone else. After all, while we may speak different languages around the world, love for our families is the one language we all speak, no matter where we’re from.”