UK family visa rules spark outcry as families face forced separation
British citizens are calling on the government to change family visa rules that risk separating them from their partners and children. The demand for reform follows new findings from charities Reunite Families UK and Coram, which show that current visa income requirements are forcing some British families to live apart, as per a report by The Independent.
The UK's
Minimum Income Requirement
(MIR) was raised from £18,600 to £29,000 in 2024 and remains one of the highest among developed countries, according to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). The committee has advised against raising the threshold further to £38,700, the level currently required for skilled workers, warning that it would have a serious impact on family reunification.
David Todd, a 33-year-old British citizen living in Germany, shared how
visa restrictions
could force him to return to the UK without his American wife, Claire, and their soon-to-be-born child. The couple cannot meet the financial threshold required under current family visa rules, which expect the British partner to earn at least £29,000 per year or show savings above £88,500.
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Todd said to PA News agency, 'It's like we're second-class citizens because we married someone who fell in love with someone who wasn't British.' He urged the government to either scrap or reduce the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR), which is now under review. Todd and his wife, both classical musicians, had hoped to return to the UK to raise their child near family. However, because his wife's income, though sufficient and earned remotely, does not count toward the visa requirement, they remain stuck.
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The report by Reunite Families UK and Coram concluded that the current rules are financially and emotionally damaging. Families often face long-term separation, and children may suffer psychological harm. The report also noted that the MIR disproportionately affects British women, working-class individuals, and ethnic minorities who are more likely to earn below the threshold.
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According to the Independent news report, Caroline Coombs, Executive Director of Reunite Families UK, said: 'Simple and practical changes from the
Home Office
could make significant differences to families, starting with scrapping the MIR and simplifying the rules and application process.' She added, 'These rules have become the tax on love. People are suffering and want to be heard.'
The Home Office has not yet responded to the findings or public calls for reform.
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