British PM Rishi Sunak’s new minimum income requirement for family visas has been challenged in the high court for allegedly separating children from parents and discriminating against women and minorities. The visa norm is being contested by Reunite Families UK.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s policy to raise the minimum income requirement (MIR) for family visas is being challenged in the high court. The policy, which now requires applicants to earn £29,000 annually to bring a loved one to the UK, is argued to separate children from their parents and discriminate against women and minorities, according to The Guardian.
The Rishi Sunak administration announced the increase last year as part of a phased plan to match the family visa salary threshold with that of the Skilled Worker visa. This change took effect on April 11.
As per the salary thresholds announced by the UK government, the applicants must have a minimum annual salary of £29,000 (around Rs 30,95,590 as per the current exchange rate) to qualify. This marks a significant 55 per cent increase from the previous threshold of £18,600 (around Rs 19,85,601).
According to the Home Office, this measure is the final step in Prime Minister Sunak’s plan to reduce legal migration and “ensure those arriving here do not burden the taxpayer”.
“We have reached a tipping point with mass migration. There is no simple solution or easy decision which cuts numbers to levels acceptable to the British people,” stated Home Secretary James Cleverly.
Reunite Families UK (RFUK), a non-profit organization that helps families with UK spouse visas and raises awareness about immigration rule impacts, filed for a judicial review, claiming the measure violates the UN convention on the rights of the child, reported The Guardian.
