Debate this like it’s a news story, why don’t you?

So my daughter and I left Texas Saturday afternoon (4:39 pm local time), Ben drove us to the airport and we all stood there and broke our hearts. My daughter didn’t want to leave him and sobbed, asking him why he couldn’t just come with us, just as she’d cried the first time in England when he’d had to leave us. We explained that there was a rule that kept Ben from coming to the UK to live until we had enough money to show the people in charge.
She didn’t understand. Of course she didn’t.
She only knew that she’d watched her mother marry a man that made her so incredibly happy, and that she was calling this man her ‘second daddy’, because she’d fallen in love with him herself. She only knew that this man made her laugh, made her feel safe and was so very kind. to her and her mother. She only knew that she didn’t want to leave him behind and it was breaking her heart.
On the plane we were both still crying and she turned to me and said:

“Why are the people who make the rules so horrible? Me and you and my Texan dad aren’t happy when we are apart!”

I looked at her little freckled face streaked with tears and I had no answer to offer her. How do you explain to a very smart six year old that people aren’t allowed to come and live and work in your country without a big stash of money? How do you explain that it doesn’t matter that two people love each other and commit to each other...that it still isn’t enough to allow them to be together?

This is a fucked up situation. It makes us angry and frustrated and we keep trying to come up with new ways to make money but we shouldn’t have to. No one is trying to con the UK government out of benefits. No one is pretending to be in love, or have a sham marriage in order to get a visa.

I’m Ben’s wife and best friend and I have to sit and calm him down when he feels so fucking angry by these stupid wanky rules that he feels the need to smash shit up. I want to smash shit up!
Why should he have to feel like that? Why should we have to sit there and tell each other stupid jokes, regale each other with ludicrous facts and make up stories to amuse ourselves at airports so that we don’t feel so wretched when we have to part?
It actually kinda works to be fair as we are entirely curious people by nature....
But still.

I can’t rant anymore. I’m tired and done. I’m on the plane flying away from my husband to the country that keeps us apart.

Perhaps I won’t even post this up because who cares really except me and my Texan and my little girl who is cuddling one of the many gifts he bought her.

I'm sorry about you and Ben's situation I wish I could come up with a solution for you.
Any chance of a job in the UK for Ben, then residency?

My brand-new six-and-a-half-year-old daughter can't let go of me at the airport, and she can't stop crying. I look over at the woman I've been married to for exactly eight days and we can barely keep one another's gaze, because we both want to cry too, but we can't because that will only upset our daughter worse.

My little girl looks down at the floor and says, "This is the worst day of my life." I pull her in tighter.

Later, she looks at me with the most wretched expression and sobs, "Please don't go!"

It broke my heart to leave her. It broke her heart that I left her. It broke something in that sweet little scary-smart maniac precious head of hers. And I don't want to make it about politics but it is a policy that has done this to us. It's cold, uncaring, or at least unknowing, people who have made this decision, and it's a stupid decision and I want to look them in the face and tell them about my crying daughter and how it killed me to leave her and my wife.

How I walked sobbing through the airport and couldn't find my car for 15 minutes because I just wanted to cry and vomit there in the parking garage.

And I want to think about how nice it was when we walked with my nice-but-dumb neighbor and her little kids up to the playground a few blocks away with a big bottle of ice water and a little flask of whiskey and Coke and chilled out while the kids played together, but all I can see is my daughter's tear-streaked face.

I want to think about her feeding leaves of lettuce to a giraffe at the zoo, but all I can think about is how I had to make her let go of me as her mother and I exchanged a perfunctory kiss goodbye at airport security, instead of walking through together to go to our home.

And this isn’t us being “attention whores”.
This is true life. And this is what happens to thousands of couple every year, simply because they fell in love with someone from another country.

So there. Debate it like it’s a story you just read.

Except you know these people. Right?

Vintage wrote:I'm sorry about you and Ben's situation I wish I could come up with a solution for you.
Any chance of a job in the UK for Ben, then residency?

Thanks, Vintage. No, it looks like our best bet is to meet the financial requirement (which, by the way, at least half of the UK citizenry couldn't meet, if they had to meet it like I do).

I can only get a job in the UK if it's in both a high-demand position and that the employer has done an exhaustive search to find a UK citizen to fill it and can't find anybody. That's a pretty impossible situation for a 43-year-old reporter.

Too uncomfortable for people to debate if it's about people they know, eh?

I could cry when I read all this, life is so unfair sometimes.

The free movement between EU countries has no such barriers, so it's incredibly biased to allow so many people freely into the UK to live and work  yet make it nigh on impossible for others to live here, even when they are prepared to work and contribute.
Sort of a postcode lottery between continents.

I wish I had an answer, they say Love conquers all, if thats the case you WILL be living together as a family one day.x

Syl wrote:I could cry when I read all this, life is so unfair sometimes.

The free movement between EU countries has no such barriers, so it's incredibly biased to allow so many people freely into the UK to live and work  yet make it nigh on impossible for others to live here, even when they are prepared to work and contribute.
Sort of a postcode lottery between continents.

I wish I had an answer, they say Love conquers all, if thats the case you WILL be living together as a family one day.x

Thanks, Syl. Some sort of action has to be taken to get the UK to reform this financial requirement, and when I do finally get the chance to live with the rest of my family, you can believe that I will be doing what I can.

To be fair most nations are the same it's not just a UK thing.

unfortunately this is democracy, when people vote for Hill Shepherd Ideals this is the outcome.

Why the Brits feel such a need to Protect their Hills from you Ben..... I don't know

Another interesting aspect this raises is the way we have institutionalised economic discrimination. if you earn/have less than the western average you're pretty much locked out...

and some wonder why the people from 3rd world nations are willing to risk life and limb to get a chance at life in our nations

It's a hideous policy designed to appeal to idiot voters aho think sham marriages are endemic and make up the majority of marriages by Brits to foreigners; as well as make the tiniest dent in our immigration numbers.

It is totally inhumane and one of the reasons me and my partner couldn't easily choose to live together in the UK - even if we wanted to. The human factor is gone in this policy decision entirely. But then, when did Conservatives ever care about the human factor?

The only real hope imo is that a future Labour government reverses it back to the requirement being minimum wage, which is what it was pre-2010, pre-Cameron.

I can't tell you guys how sad it was reading your experience and how anger inducing it is. Just do all you have to guys, eventually it will work out xxx

Any Law that keeps two people apart when they love each other is wrong in my opinion !I wish I knew of anything I could suggest that would help you.

Its applling to read and heartbreaking, but one thing I have learned in life. Is that no matter how difficult the hurdles placed in front of us. Espcially when those hurdles have been placed by other people. That they can be overcome, espically as love conquers all.

In my opinion, what you both need to do is gain the publics attention on this, to help over come this hurdles.

1) Ben you work in the media, and should with Eddie, write an opinion piece within your own newspaper. 

2) Start a page on twitter and Facebook, about the plight of your situation. Using the article as a start point. In order that the message spreads to more and more people. What you wrote here is enough to have many people upset and angry at how a couple in love are denied being together.

3) Start a gofundme page, I am sure many people would contribute. In order that you can be together

4) Send your article to the main Media outlets in both the US and the UK

5) Start a change petition

https://www.change.org/

6) Hold a fundraiser

7) Eddie to write to her local Politician

I am sure people can add to this,  but the point is, to get your story and plight out to the world. This forum is only ever going to reach a smalll select group of people. Once you have a facebook page based on your story. Friends can past this onto other friends and the message spreads.

So what you need is action and that means not to take this sitting down.

So when you get a chance, adpat what you have written today to be posted publically to the world.

Start the fight today

Didge is correct, start shouting, local paper, local radio etc.

What would the situation be the other way round - if eddie wanted to live in the US? Isn't it quite difficult for Brits to go and live there?

Eilzel wrote:It's a hideous policy designed to appeal to idiot voters aho think sham marriages are endemic and make up the majority of marriages by Brits to foreigners; as well as make the tiniest dent in our immigration numbers.

It is totally inhumane and one of the reasons me and my partner couldn't easily choose to live together in the UK - even if we wanted to. The human factor is gone in this policy decision entirely. But then, when did Conservatives ever care about the human factor?

The only real hope imo is that a future Labour government reverses it back to the requirement being minimum wage, which is what it was pre-2010, pre-Cameron.

I can't tell you guys how sad it was reading your experience and how anger inducing it is. Just do all you have to guys, eventually it will work out xxx

Would that make a difference if Ben wasn't allowed to work here anyway? Eddie could get such a job, but how could they both live on minimum wage earned by one person?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:It's a hideous policy designed to appeal to idiot voters aho think sham marriages are endemic and make up the majority of marriages by Brits to foreigners; as well as make the tiniest dent in our immigration numbers.

It is totally inhumane and one of the reasons me and my partner couldn't easily choose to live together in the UK - even if we wanted to. The human factor is gone in this policy decision entirely. But then, when did Conservatives ever care about the human factor?

The only real hope imo is that a future Labour government reverses it back to the requirement being minimum wage, which is what it was pre-2010, pre-Cameron.

I can't tell you guys how sad it was reading your experience and how anger inducing it is. Just do all you have to guys, eventually it will work out xxx

Would that make a difference if Ben wasn't allowed to work here anyway? Eddie could get such a job, but how could they both live on minimum wage earned by one person?

If he came over it would make finding a job much easier. He could also bring whatever savings he has in the US to help them get by. Also, the amount expected to be earned by one person is a few thousand pounds a years over the minimum wage (nearly twenty grand, I think, as opposed to about fifteen). They'd make it work is the main thing, and that is for individuals to figure out by themselves.

The difference is they'd be together, and working through their problems while not saddled with the pain of being apart. I spent a year away from my now husband and it's an absolute killer, even with Facetime. To not know when we could actually have lived together would have been miserable.

^didge gives some solid ideas tbh. This was in the news back in 2016 but was buried under the deluge of anti-EU headlines in the lead up to Brexit. Time for it to be brought back to people's minds.

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Would that make a difference if Ben wasn't allowed to work here anyway? Eddie could get such a job, but how could they both live on minimum wage earned by one person?

If he came over it would make finding a job much easier. He could also bring whatever savings he has in the US to help them get by. Also, the amount expected to be earned by one person is a few thousand pounds a years over the minimum wage (nearly twenty grand, I think, as opposed to about fifteen). They'd make it work is the main thing, and that is for individuals to figure out by themselves.

The difference is they'd be together, and working through their problems while not saddled with the pain of being apart. I spent a year away from my now husband and it's an absolute killer, even with Facetime. To not know when we could actually have lived together would have been miserable.

^didge gives some solid ideas tbh. This was in the news back in 2016 but was buried under the deluge of anti-EU headlines in the lead up to Brexit. Time for it to be brought back to people's minds.

Ben said this though:

I can only get a job in the UK if it's in both a high-demand position and that the employer has done an exhaustive search to find a UK citizen to fill it and can't find anybody. That's a pretty impossible situation for a 43-year-old reporter.

Therefore, it wouldn't make any difference if they lowered the earning requirement.

They had a similar policy in New Zealand and Australia - I don't know if they still do. It's to protect their own citizens.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Would that make a difference if Ben wasn't allowed to work here anyway? Eddie could get such a job, but how could they both live on minimum wage earned by one person?

If he came over it would make finding a job much easier. He could also bring whatever savings he has in the US to help them get by. Also, the amount expected to be earned by one person is a few thousand pounds a years over the minimum wage (nearly twenty grand, I think, as opposed to about fifteen). They'd make it work is the main thing, and that is for individuals to figure out by themselves.

The difference is they'd be together, and working through their problems while not saddled with the pain of being apart. I spent a year away from my now husband and it's an absolute killer, even with Facetime. To not know when we could actually have lived together would have been miserable.

^didge gives some solid ideas tbh. This was in the news back in 2016 but was buried under the deluge of anti-EU headlines in the lead up to Brexit. Time for it to be brought back to people's minds.

Ben said this though:

I can only get a job in the UK if it's in both a high-demand position and that the employer has done an exhaustive search to find a UK citizen to fill it and can't find anybody. That's a pretty impossible situation for a 43-year-old reporter.

Therefore, it wouldn't make any difference if they lowered the earning requirement.

They had a similar policy in New Zealand and Australia - I don't know if they still do. It's to protect their own citizens.

That is on the condition many non-EU foreigners face in coming to live in this country, that they have to get a job first. The law should change so that a foreigner married to a UK citizen automatically is allowed residency and that once here and with residency status, is eligible for any employment. EU citizens today can come to the UK and gain access to ANY employment; the situation should be the same for anyone married to a Brit.

The problems Ben faces are linked to the problem of not being able to come here in the first place.

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben said this though:



Therefore, it wouldn't make any difference if they lowered the earning requirement.

They had a similar policy in New Zealand and Australia - I don't know if they still do. It's to protect their own citizens.

That is on the condition many non-EU foreigners face in coming to live in this country, that they have to get a job first. The law should change so that a foreigner married to a UK citizen automatically is allowed residency and that once here and with residency status, is eligible for any employment. EU citizens today can come to the UK and gain access to ANY employment; the situation should be the same for anyone married to a Brit.

The problems Ben faces are linked to the problem of not being able to come here in the first place.

Well that's how the law stands at the moment, and it's to protect British citizens and EU citizens. There's not much point trying to change that at the moment. There are bogus marriages which go on, and that has to be addressed as well.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben said this though:



Therefore, it wouldn't make any difference if they lowered the earning requirement.

They had a similar policy in New Zealand and Australia - I don't know if they still do. It's to protect their own citizens.

That is on the condition many non-EU foreigners face in coming to live in this country, that they have to get a job first. The law should change so that a foreigner married to a UK citizen automatically is allowed residency and that once here and with residency status, is eligible for any employment. EU citizens today can come to the UK and gain access to ANY employment; the situation should be the same for anyone married to a Brit.

The problems Ben faces are linked to the problem of not being able to come here in the first place.

Well that's how the law stands at the moment, and it's to protect British citizens and EU citizens. There's not much point trying to change that at the moment. There are bogus marriages which go on, and that has to be addressed as well.

I completely disagree. For Ben and Eds, and the thousands in their situation, there is every point in trying to change it. Why should they wait? Bogus marriages will happen regardless and some of them can afford to bring their families over anyway. We should NOT being ruining people's lives because a tiny minority take advantage of a system. That's like punishing all children in a class because of one or two trouble causers.

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Well that's how the law stands at the moment, and it's to protect British citizens and EU citizens. There's not much point trying to change that at the moment. There are bogus marriages which go on, and that has to be addressed as well.

I completely disagree. For Ben and Eds, and the thousands in their situation, there is every point in trying to change it. Why should they wait? Bogus marriages will happen regardless and some of them can afford to bring their families over anyway. We should NOT being ruining people's lives because a tiny minority take advantage of a system. That's like punishing all children in a class because of one or two trouble causers.

It might be minority but it's increasing, and it's an organised business in some areas. There's also the issue of unemployment here.

If eddie earned more or had loads of dosh, could he come here? Isn't it all very similar to the policies in Australia and New Zealand?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Well that's how the law stands at the moment, and it's to protect British citizens and EU citizens. There's not much point trying to change that at the moment. There are bogus marriages which go on, and that has to be addressed as well.

I completely disagree. For Ben and Eds, and the thousands in their situation, there is every point in trying to change it. Why should they wait? Bogus marriages will happen regardless and some of them can afford to bring their families over anyway. We should NOT being ruining people's lives because a tiny minority take advantage of a system. That's like punishing all children in a class because of one or two trouble causers.

It might be minority but it's increasing, and it's an organised business in some areas. There's also the issue of unemployment here.

The numbers this would be affecting in terms of employment are miniscule, and plenty of Brits seek employment abroad.

And NZ and Aus are irrelevant to the fact it is wrong in the UK. If the situation is the same in those countries it is still wrong, and for people to oppose in those places. Comparing bad policy to others isn't something we should use as a way of saying it is OK in any way.

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

It might be minority but it's increasing, and it's an organised business in some areas. There's also the issue of unemployment here.

The numbers this would be affecting in terms of employment are miniscule, and plenty of Brits seek employment abroad.

And NZ and Aus are irrelevant to the fact it is wrong in the UK. If the situation is the same in those countries it is still wrong, and for people to oppose in those places. Comparing bad policy to others isn't something we should use as a way of saying it is OK in any way.

I just feel that the UK is being maligned for something that other countries practise as well, and that's not fair. I went to New Zealand years ago, and I understood their employment policy. The only thing which annoyed me a bit was that many of them could come over here and work.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

It might be minority but it's increasing, and it's an organised business in some areas. There's also the issue of unemployment here.

The numbers this would be affecting in terms of employment are miniscule, and plenty of Brits seek employment abroad.

And NZ and Aus are irrelevant to the fact it is wrong in the UK. If the situation is the same in those countries it is still wrong, and for people to oppose in those places. Comparing bad policy to others isn't something we should use as a way of saying it is OK in any way.

I just feel that the UK is being maligned for something that other countries practise as well, and that's not fair. I went to New Zealand years ago, and I understood their employment policy. The only thing which annoyed me a bit was that many of them could come over here and work.

It's being maligned because it's directly affecting the lives of two people who post here, which is pretty understandable I'd have thought

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

I just feel that the UK is being maligned for something that other countries practise as well, and that's not fair. I went to New Zealand years ago, and I understood their employment policy. The only thing which annoyed me a bit was that many of them could come over here and work.

It's being maligned because it's directly affecting the lives of two people who post here, which is pretty understandable I'd have thought

Yes, but we're being asked to treat it like a news story, and I think the policies of other countries are also relevant, especially that of the US. What is the policy there anyway? If Ben didn't earn much, would eddie be allowed to go there and get a job?

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

I just feel that the UK is being maligned for something that other countries practise as well, and that's not fair. I went to New Zealand years ago, and I understood their employment policy. The only thing which annoyed me a bit was that many of them could come over here and work.

It's being maligned because it's directly affecting the lives of two people who post here, which is pretty understandable I'd have thought

Exactly that. If it's a mid page story in the papers it doesn't have much effect, when it's people you know and have come to care about it hits home.

I find the practice of advertising for jobs in other countries before advertising them here, often only doing so when the vacancies have been filled to be really bad practice.....then on the other end of the scale we have cases (like this) where so many obstacles are put into place to prevent someone who is married to a UK citizen offering their services to this country refused.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

I just feel that the UK is being maligned for something that other countries practise as well, and that's not fair. I went to New Zealand years ago, and I understood their employment policy. The only thing which annoyed me a bit was that many of them could come over here and work.

It's being maligned because it's directly affecting the lives of two people who post here, which is pretty understandable I'd have thought

Yes, but we're being asked to treat it like a news story, and I think the policies of other countries are also relevant, especially that of the US. What is the policy there anyway? If Ben didn't earn much, would eddie be allowed to go there and get a job?

Fine, if that is the policy in NZ or Aus, then it's bollocks there too. Not being from there, I don't know the specifics though.

^Exactly Syl. Being married to a Brit should make all the difference in the world, simple as that.

Its sad when its someone you know and there must be a better way surely but its not just about criminals arranging bogus marriages to British Citizens for money isn't there the dark side of people being trafficked into this country from eastern europe and all, who are coerced into these marriages because of freedom of movement for a lot of money that the bride (usually) sees very little if anything of?.
Maybe like Didge said crowd funding is the way.

Is anyone going to answer my question about the policy in the US? After all, it's been said that it's the UK which is keeping them apart, so would it be different if eddie wanted to go to the US?

Crowdfunding? Wouldn't that be a bit demeaning?

Raggamuffin wrote:Is anyone going to answer my question about the policy in the US? After all, it's been said that it's the UK which is keeping them apart, so would it be different if eddie wanted to go to the US?

If eddie were to come to the U.S., it would mean either leaving her children with their biological father or separating them from him, neither of which is an option, so we haven't really explored that alternative.

However, I went ahead and looked into it. Since I'm a U.S. citizen, eddie has no criminal record and I earn more than the financial requirement, the process of her immigrating to the U.S. would be pretty straightforward.

But if she were expected to meet a financial requirement of her own, we would be in the same situation as we are now.

Raggamuffin wrote:Crowdfunding? Wouldn't that be a bit demeaning?

Would you rather be demeaned for a few months or only get to see your family four weeks per year?

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:Is anyone going to answer my question about the policy in the US? After all, it's been said that it's the UK which is keeping them apart, so would it be different if eddie wanted to go to the US?

If eddie were to come to the U.S., it would mean either leaving her children with their biological father or separating them from him, neither of which is an option, so we haven't really explored that alternative.

However, I went ahead and looked into it. Since I'm a U.S. citizen, eddie has no criminal record and I earn more than the financial requirement, the process of her immigrating to the U.S. would be pretty straightforward.

But if she were expected to meet a financial requirement of her own, we would be in the same situation as we are now.

Right, so really it's the same policy in the US then. I don't think the UK should be singled out for criticism in that case.

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:Crowdfunding? Wouldn't that be a bit demeaning?

Would you rather be demeaned for a few months or only get to see your family four weeks per year?

I would never like to be demeaned.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:Is anyone going to answer my question about the policy in the US? After all, it's been said that it's the UK which is keeping them apart, so would it be different if eddie wanted to go to the US?

If eddie were to come to the U.S., it would mean either leaving her children with their biological father or separating them from him, neither of which is an option, so we haven't really explored that alternative.

However, I went ahead and looked into it. Since I'm a U.S. citizen, eddie has no criminal record and I earn more than the financial requirement, the process of her immigrating to the U.S. would be pretty straightforward.

But if she were expected to meet a financial requirement of her own, we would be in the same situation as we are now.

Right, so really it's the same policy in the US then. I don't think the UK should be singled out for criticism in that case.

1) Edds brings enough money into her household right now that I wouldn't be under pressure to immediately find work upon arrival in the UK.

2) I am currently not even allowed to look for a part-time job at McDonalds under UK law. If I landed one of those, we would immediately meet the financial requirement and actually surpass it.

Fact is, the UK's laws are ridiculously stringent compared to the U.S.'s. You can argue about the EU and the size of your country all you want, but the fact remains that your country is actively trying to keep me out, whereas my country would make it much easier for you to move here.

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Right, so really it's the same policy in the US then. I don't think the UK should be singled out for criticism in that case.

1) Edds brings enough money into her household right now that I wouldn't be under pressure to immediately find work upon arrival in the UK.

2) I am currently not even allowed to look for a part-time job at McDonalds under UK law. If I landed one of those, we would immediately meet the financial requirement and actually surpass it.

Fact is, the UK's laws are ridiculously stringent compared to the U.S.'s. You can argue about the EU and the size of your country all you want, but the fact remains that your country is actively trying to keep me out, whereas my country would make it much easier for you to move here.

So if you didn't earn much, eddie would be allowed to move to the US and get a job?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Right, so really it's the same policy in the US then. I don't think the UK should be singled out for criticism in that case.

1) Edds brings enough money into her household right now that I wouldn't be under pressure to immediately find work upon arrival in the UK.

2) I am currently not even allowed to look for a part-time job at McDonalds under UK law. If I landed one of those, we would immediately meet the financial requirement and actually surpass it.

Fact is, the UK's laws are ridiculously stringent compared to the U.S.'s. You can argue about the EU and the size of your country all you want, but the fact remains that your country is actively trying to keep me out, whereas my country would make it much easier for you to move here.

So if you didn't earn much, eddie would be allowed to move to the US and get a job?

Yes, it would be far easier for her than for me. The U.S. has no "in-demand positions" requirement for work.

I used to have a reporter working for me who was a French citizen. My company sponsored her worker visa. Your companies aren't allowed to do that unless it meets the conditions I wrote about above (high-demand position, no citizen found to fill the job).

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

So if you didn't earn much, eddie would be allowed to move to the US and get a job?

Yes, it would be far easier for her than for me. The U.S. has no "in-demand positions" requirement for work.

I used to have a reporter working for me who was a French citizen. My company sponsored her worker visa. Your companies aren't allowed to do that unless it meets the conditions I wrote about above (high-demand position, no citizen found to fill the job).

what job are you currently in? do they deal with England? Could you get some kind of temporary/permanent work transfer? Would it not suit you better for eddie to come out there maybe for a few months and you can both work and save. I know it would mean homeschooling your daughter or a school there on a temp basis. WOuld be a fantastic experience for her and isn't son in uni? It sounds like they have a great relationship so he would no doubt support that. You both have to go back and forth for a while otherwise.

I have to admit that to allow hordes of untrained, unskilled people in from EU who then sit on their arses or do a two-bit job for credits is ridiculous when people from outside EU have to do some kind of triathlon assault course through beaurocratic red tape just to be told no.

I'm sorry Ben

BEN, get into Europe somehow, jump into a Lorry, get to Britain, jump out and claim asylum ,
Hundreds of thousands do !

gelico wrote:

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

So if you didn't earn much, eddie would be allowed to move to the US and get a job?

Yes, it would be far easier for her than for me. The U.S. has no "in-demand positions" requirement for work.

I used to have a reporter working for me who was a French citizen. My company sponsored her worker visa. Your companies aren't allowed to do that unless it meets the conditions I wrote about above (high-demand position, no citizen found to fill the job).

what job are you currently in?  do they deal with England?  Could you get some kind of temporary/permanent work transfer?  Would it not suit you better for eddie to come out there maybe for a few months and you can both work and save.  I know it would mean homeschooling your daughter or a school there on a temp basis.  WOuld be a fantastic experience for her and isn't son in uni?  It sounds like they have a great relationship so he would no doubt support that.  You both have to go back and forth for a while otherwise.

I have to admit that to allow hordes of untrained, unskilled people in from EU who then sit on their arses or do a two-bit job for credits is ridiculous when people from outside EU have to do some kind of triathlon assault course through beaurocratic red tape just to be told no.

I'm sorry Ben

Thank you, gels. Me and eddie video chatted last night and I haven't even told her this (well, I told her something like that) but it nearly made me cry to see her back on my computer screen instead of in the same room as me.

Currently I'm a reporter for a local paper in Texas; the paper is owned by a national corporation that only does business within U.S. borders, so I'd have to find a job with some other company that also does business in England if I were to go for the transfer route.

I consulted with a UK barrister and he told me pretty bluntly that even if I had millions of dollars, it would still be much easier to get over on a spouse or fiancee visa than to try to work in the UK and get citizenship or permanent legal status that way.

It does seem to me that the UK government could have found another way to discourage unfettered EU migration, thus allowing it to not have to create the "triathlon assault course" (great phrase, by the way) for people like me.

nicko wrote:BEN, get into Europe somehow,  jump into a Lorry, get to Britain, jump out and claim asylum ,
Hundreds of thousands do !  

Don't think that hasn't crossed my mind, along with dozens of similar ideas

Ben....serious thought...can you get into Eire, and work a while there, then apply for an Eirian passport/citizenship.?

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

gelico wrote:

what job are you currently in?  do they deal with England?  Could you get some kind of temporary/permanent work transfer?  Would it not suit you better for eddie to come out there maybe for a few months and you can both work and save.  I know it would mean homeschooling your daughter or a school there on a temp basis.  WOuld be a fantastic experience for her and isn't son in uni?  It sounds like they have a great relationship so he would no doubt support that.  You both have to go back and forth for a while otherwise.

I have to admit that to allow hordes of untrained, unskilled people in from EU who then sit on their arses or do a two-bit job for credits is ridiculous when people from outside EU have to do some kind of triathlon assault course through beaurocratic red tape just to be told no.

I'm sorry Ben

Currently I'm a reporter for a local paper in Texas; the paper is owned by a national corporation that only does business within U.S. borders, so I'd have to find a job with some other company that also does business in England if I were to go for the transfer route.

Have you applied to any of our news outlets for a job in the UK. (or even perhaps just to share your story as didge said). I'm specifically thinking of the Guardian which is left wing. After all, you have a lot to offer coming from America. The real view on Trump from people around you in Texas, your experiences etc. They may well consider having someone like you to be an asset. Is it worth a try?

Lord Foul wrote:Ben....serious thought...can you get into Eire, and work a while there, then apply for an Eirian passport/citizenship.?

We haven’t looked into that. One of my very best friends is Irish, and I know for a fact that he could stay at her parent’s house.
It’s an idea, thanks Vic.

Lord Foul wrote:Ben....serious thought...can you get into Eire, and work a while there, then apply for an Eirian passport/citizenship.?

that's an idea -especially if any parent or grandparent was Irish by any chance? http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/who_can_become_an_irish_citizen.html

Vintage wrote:

Lord Foul wrote:Ben....serious thought...can you get into Eire, and work a while there, then apply for an Eirian passport/citizenship.?

that's an idea -especially if any parent or grandparent was Irish by any chance? http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/who_can_become_an_irish_citizen.html

Ben does have Irish ancestry - more so than me, and I’m British. We will certainly look into it
Thanks Flix.

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Right, so really it's the same policy in the US then. I don't think the UK should be singled out for criticism in that case.

1) Edds brings enough money into her household right now that I wouldn't be under pressure to immediately find work upon arrival in the UK.

2) I am currently not even allowed to look for a part-time job at McDonalds under UK law. If I landed one of those, we would immediately meet the financial requirement and actually surpass it.

Fact is, the UK's laws are ridiculously stringent compared to the U.S.'s. You can argue about the EU and the size of your country all you want, but the fact remains that your country is actively trying to keep me out, whereas my country would make it much easier for you to move here.

But those are the exact reasons for the strict filters. The UK simply does not have the capacity that the US does. I know it's hard not to take it all personally but the laws are not personal to you. It's all the way down the line. Most countries are the same to greater or lesser degrees.

HoratioTarr wrote:

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:

1) Edds brings enough money into her household right now that I wouldn't be under pressure to immediately find work upon arrival in the UK.

2) I am currently not even allowed to look for a part-time job at McDonalds under UK law. If I landed one of those, we would immediately meet the financial requirement and actually surpass it.

Fact is, the UK's laws are ridiculously stringent compared to the U.S.'s. You can argue about the EU and the size of your country all you want, but the fact remains that your country is actively trying to keep me out, whereas my country would make it much easier for you to move here.

But those are the exact reasons for the strict filters.   The UK simply does not have the capacity that the US does.   I know it's hard not to take it all personally but the laws are not personal to you.  It's all the way down the line.  Most countries are the same to greater or lesser degrees.  

Yes. It's all being taken far too personally. Any attempt to change the law would take ages anyway, it's not going to happen overnight. IMO, Ben's best course of action is to apply for jobs in the UK from the US. He's a journalist so he must have skills and ability which a lot of people don't. Having said that, I guess a lot of British citizens want to be journalists too.