New immigration fees proposed

[madona587]

Until UK stops bending down to EU, legitimate skilled migrants will suffer. I know EEA2 Application is FREE. Must be some volunteers processing the EEA2 visas at UKBA but looks like Tier2 & Tier2 visas processed by sophisticated officers from planet mars cause they seem very expensive

[QuickSam]

Tier 1 comes with the following advantages:

--Need to prove that you are good enough to work in UK (to get a job)
---Culturally fit
---Good in communication
---Also good at what you do

--Pay taxes as a normal UK resident
--No Benefits
--2-3 Yrly visa renewal costs (that's the topic of discussion)
--Discrimination at work (though not evident in daylight)
--etc.
--etc. .....

Well the list is infinite but we already knew this. Right? We have taken the decision to be here in UK in-spite of all the odds. Even though we may crib about it, it would not make a difference. If the govt. decides the fees will be increased.

I don't like the fee hike n all but I don't think it really matters. What the Govt and UKBA decides is what matters.

[aosun007]

This is not a surprise to me.I had the feelings before now that since they have closed Tier 1 general .They will look at another means of generating funds.
this is one of the means.
Is there anything that can be done to prevent the increment?
Mark it,in 2013,these people will increase the ILR fees in an unexpected manner.
Please read the contents of the minister carefully,later very soon.they want dependants to be paying the same amount as main applicants.

How can we stop it.
How can we stop it.

another question is who is really a burden?

[T90]

Uk begging to India to receive aid.
Uk begging to USA to take part in Iran flotilla.
Now, its ukba...

[JohnM]

Yea, life is tough but this is our competitive advantage.

We've seen other life, life in different dimension. In the long run, we will be much better off than most "natives". Because we will treasure and use our UK citizenship much more actively than many people who got it from birth.

It's not cheap to get to UK but in the future, next generations will look at this time as super-easy time to get to UK. Look what happened in the last 50 years. How harder it became to get to UK. Yes, there are more immigrant everywhere but it's because earth population expanded and travel became cheaper. Most of the immigrant on the planet don't have good legal status and clear route to the citizenship. Look at Saudi Arabia or Russia. They have millions of immigrant who live like under-class there without any clear route to permanent status. USA have millions of illegal immigrants, etc, etc.

UK still offers some routes to citizenship. It's getting harder and harder. But it's still possible. I have a feeling in 10 years time it may be almost not available at all.

If you're from less developed country, take your children and grandchildren on a trip to your native country in the future and they will thank you for paying this fee now, if they won't be too stupid...

[salmanzz]

this is pure rip off

[salmanzz]

They claim they need money....lols.. but they need money only from NON-EU.. they ve increased feee only for those who are non EU ...

for EU fee is just 10-15 pounds....... so they dont want any NON EU to apply

[mclrajan]

As tier 1 (general) is already stopped, everyone who gets the ILR, there is no further extension. So they are in loss as number of tier 1 holder decreases . To compensate that loss, they increase the fees from remaining tier 1 holders.

[IMMIGRATION LAWYER]

And it was not the limit:

Tier 1 - PEO Main (General) £1,300 -> £1,800
Tier 1 - PEO All Dependants (General) £650 -> £900

With plans to charge dependents the same amount as the main applicant.

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/siteco ... b-2012.pdf

Tier 1 general fee to icrease from £1,000 to £1,500? Is that a new ploy to discourage people from extending tier 1 visas?

[bobanus3000]

I even wonder if it's legal to make an increase of 220% in last two years for Tier1 visa extension. Personally we are family of 3 people (me, my wife and little child).
When we came in September 2010 the total cost of our Tier1 extension for three of us were £850+£250+£250=£1350. After april 2012 we have to pay £1500+£750+£750=£3000.
Is there any limit for that?
I still cant believe that such a things are even happening here.

[shahjee11]

Is n't there a way to voice our concerns? I am sure they wont listen to our concerns. Accepting the new fee after voicing our concerns will make us feel slighly contented.

Also,
Is there an option to convert Tier1 to Tier2?

Tx

Yes there is a way. Write to your MP. I have also written to the shadow cabinet and Leader of the opposition. Afterall, it requires a parliamentry approval so why not exercise your democratic right. I also dont agree with those who say "Its their country". Its our country as well as we live and work here, we have our family here now and our children are born here. we only visit our native country for holidays. I fully understand the point hidden behind the statement but as It was my choice to move here so its my home now and I can go to any extent within the law, to stop those who will force me to move out of my home.

[bobanus3000]

Shahjee11 you are absolutely right. Will do. Everyone must do that. There are very few of us we must stay together and act consistently.

[shahjee11]

Yes indeed every one must right to their MPs. Let me know if anyone needs a copy of what I have written. I can post it here just to make it easy for all those who are interested to raise their concerns.

[anandpathak]

Yes indeed every one must right to their MPs. Let me know if anyone needs a copy of what I have written. I can post it here just to make it easy for all those who are interested to raise their concerns.

Pls share the letter written to your MP.
I am not very certain if the Ruling Govt would change there intnsions but atleast they would know that people are there who are not willing to accept wrong doing silently.
Cheers
Anand

[bobanus3000]

Please Guys just do it. Send your concerns to your MP. If this wouldn't abolish this proposal completely then at least it may delay parlament's decision regarding this matter.
For us this may mean that little extra moment that we can use to apply later and extend our stay in due time.

[shahjee11]

Pls share the letter written to your MP.
I am not very certain if the Ruling Govt would change there intnsions but atleast they would know that people are there who are not willing to accept wrong doing silently.
Cheers
Anand[/quote]

Here is what I wrote

"Dear Sir / Madam

I am writing to you in relation to the newly proposed visa fee increases by the UK Border Agency which are planned to be implemented w.e.f 06-04-2012 after the formal parliamentry approval. Please see the link below for the statement of Immigration Minister Damian Green which also included the proposed revised fee schedule.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... b-2012.pdf

Since I am an immigrant currently living and working in the UK under the highly skilled worker category (Tier 1 General) of the points based system, the new proposed fee has been increased at the rate of 50 % in my category which I believe to be toally unfair. I and many others under the same terms of Visa are living and working in the UK, paying tax and national insurance and not claiming a single penny from the public funds. Unfortunately, the statement of the immigration ministed referred above gives an impression that we are a burden on tax payer. I quote the following lines

" Given the ongoing need to reduce public spending, we believe it is right that we continue to seek to reduce the burden on UK taxpayers of delivering the border and immigration system by asking migrants to make a greater contribution to the funding of the UK Border Agency."

As a matter of fact, migrants are equally contributing towards the UK's economy by paying all taxes and national insurance but the Immigration Minister seems to be ignorant or intentionally unthankful to us. I believe that such statements create serious misunderstandings amongst the public as if immigrants are not the UK tax payers and they are a burden on public purse. It may also put them at risk of facing more facial abuse from the majority of the public who are not aware of the ins and outs of current immigration system.

In the current economic climate, It is very hard to keep ourselves in jobs by working under more strict conditions and taking lesser wages. Another important point to be looked at is that visa fee for most of other categories is only increased by 2% but a 50 % increase in Tier 1 (General) is nothing but extortion, if I may say so.

I therefore, through this email, request you to look in to this matter at your earliest and I hope that you will use all your efforts to block this unfair high fee increase in the parliament.

Kind regards

[Thetruthprevials]

The times are changing. When i first came to the UK as a student in 97/98 i thought it was bad (international students could not work) but this is terrible. If they keep up with this, most of us won't bother coming here and contributing to the economy. If you go to Tabloid sites like Yahoo during a heated immigration debate session, you would be the only one trying to fight your corner.

[bobanus3000]

Guys we must keep together and make noise.
If you know someone affected or any other hot discussion regarding this issue please post links here and let others know about this topic.

Btw the following is what I sent to my MP.

=============================================
Dear Sir/Madam
I'm writing to you as a Tier1 (General) migrant, with regard to the increase in visa fees announced by Immigration minister Damian Green on 9th February 2012.
Please see the link to the document and the proposed schedule of fees below:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... b-2012.pdf

According to the fees schedule table:
A Tier1 - Postal Main (General) visa fee is subject to a 50% increase from £1000 to £1500. This, in my view, appears exorbitant.
It is common practice for the UKBA (UK Border Agency) to revise costs of their services, but what happened recently worries me a lot.
For example, in September 2010 when I came to the UK with my wife and child, the cost for a Tier1 Visa was £1350 for the three of us (see the link below).
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... g-2011.pdf
The next extension time for our Visas is May 2012, with the new expected price of £3000. This constitutes a 220% fee increase in less than two years.
It is not the only expenditure we will face on Visa services, as the Tier1 immigration programme includes a series of them. I addition to this, Damian Green clearly states that visa fees will continue to grow in the future:

"In addition, the fees paid by dependants, for applications made within the UK, are being maintained at the current level of 50% of a main applicant’s fee. In future the UK Border Agency will look to charge the same fee in the UK for dependants and main applicants, as currently already happens for visa applications made overseas".
I always appreciated the clearness of the rules that the UK immigration system set out for people wishing to come to this country. It has great international reputation and credibility and what is happening now is totally unexpected and out of line with the previously clear and fair policies.
Surely these rates of increase (220%), being applied to EXISTING Tier 1 workers, constitutes an unfair moving of the goalposts. It attacks a minority of people who are Highly Skilled Specialists in their areas, whom the government welcomed. People who make considerable contributions in the UK economy, paying taxes from high band salaries and not claiming anything back from Public funds.
I frequently visit the UKBA site http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ as it is the main source of information for all UK immigrants. However I have never seen this announcement on their main news page. I can't affirm it was not displayed there but the period of time it was exposed is not long enough to be delivered to the majority of the audience to which it is addressed. I feel ambushed by this sudden and poorly-publicised, huge increase in fees. Considering this and the fact that only the Tier1 Visa category has been affected, I suspect that the number of concerns from Tier1 immigrants that members of parliament will receive by the time of the approval will be very low.
Therefore, by this letter I'm kindly asking you to look into this matter, ask the appropriate and fair questions that need to be asked in Parliament, and prevent what can only be viewed as a desperately unfair increase in fees.

Yours faithfully...
=============================================

[shahjee11]

An e Petition against this extortionate increase has been submitted by a friend and will hopefully be published in due course. I will let you all know here once its available on HM e Petition website for signing in. Watch this space .........

[longshift]

I have written it to my MP too. But I doubt anything will change. This is an extortion and they know we will comply no matter what. I have 3 dependants so am looking at a big cost this August. Its sad to know that only Tier 1 Generals are subjected to such a hike. Why don't they spread the cost evenly? This Damien Green seems to be a real Thick Head, I guess.

[shahjee11]

Peeps

e Petition has now been published and can be accessed from the following link.


http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29831

Please make sure that you spread the word and sign the petition. Please dont stop writing to your MPs coz we may not get 100k signatories. We can atleast try our best.