ASIF“IhopeonedayIcanbewiththewomanIlove,withoutthatlovehavingapricetag.”

AsifisaBritishcitizen,bornandbroughtuphere.Hishome,familyandfriendsareallhere.HehasworkedasacashierinashoeshopcalledOfficeforthelastfourteenyears,payinghistaxesdiligentlyandnotacceptinganygovernmenthandouts.Bypersonalchoice,hisfamilydonatepartoftheirearningstocharity.AsifbelieveshehaslivedasagoodmemberofBritishsocietyandhenowfindsithardtounderstandwhyheisbeingdeniedahappyfamilylife.Sincetherecentimmigrationchanges,Asiffacesruleswhichenforcehisseparationfromayoungwomanheisengagedtomarry.Hisfiancée,Hafsa,isfluentinEnglish,hasanMScinHydrologyandisascienceteacherinPakistan.HerintentionistoworkintheUKwhereherscienceandteachingskillsareingreatdemand.Butitseemsshewon’tbegiventhechanceto.EverytimeAsifspeakswithHafsaonSkype,hemakessureheisjovial.Howeverontheinside,heiscrying.Heknowsitwilltakealongtimetobringherheretosharehislife–heearnsagooddeallessthanthe£18,600requiredbytheHomeOfficetosponsoraspousefromanon‐EEAcountryandhispersonalsavingsarenowherenearwhatisrequiredundertheHomeOfficerules.Hafsa’searningpotentialisnotevenrelevantforhisapplication.Weddingplansaregoingaheadbutwithasenseofforeboding.Thereseemslittlepointinamaritalrelationshipiftheywillhavetobeapart.Butastheyloveeachother,whatotherchoicehavetheygot?IFYOUAREALSOAFFECTEDBYUKHOMEOFFICEFAMILYIMMIGRATIONPOLICY,GETINTOUCHWITHUSTOINCLUDEYOURCASEINOURPORTFOLIOTOTHEFAMILYMIGRATIONINQUIRYATTHEWESTMINSTERPARLIAMENT.Emailinfo@migrantsrightsscotland.org.ukorseewww.migrantsrightsscotland.org.uk.

www.migrantsrightsscotland.org.uk E: info@migrantsrightsscotland.org.uk Registered Address: Fairfield, Auchterarder PH3 1BZ, Scotland

Company registered in Scotland 376122