TheGrinchSR wrote:

Mister wrote:Currently 43% of the British population earn below the GBP 18,600 requirement.

That said, I have no intention of returning to the UK to work or to claim any kind of benefits. I would however like for my partner of six years to somehow meet my parents - someday - and this way looks to be within our scope.

Surely this is a reasonable wish, TheGrinchSR?

It would be very difficult to say what may happen if the UK leaves the EU - they will most likely have a special deal for UK citizens abroad, similar to the new special status the UK has within the EU (since the 2016 February Council).

This isn't a means of obtaining a fucking tourist visa. It's a means of moving your spouse (not partner, spouse) to the UK permanently. The whole process takes the best part of 12 months living in the EU to accomplish that freedom of movement to visit the UK. It is a dodge to enable people who cannot support themselves and their spouses to get back into the UK, to live, where they will almost certainly have to live on benefits because they do not earn enough.

I didn't say this was a means of getting a tourist visa. We have tried many times to get a visitor’s visa - with no success - so are left with little options. The directive states that unmarried partners (in a durable relationship) also qualify as family members.

At the minute, a citizen of any other EU member state can take their partners straight to the UK and stay there indefinitely, whereas I would have to exercise my treaty rights outside the UK then return. How is it fair that a UK citizen should have to jump through hoops/or have GBP 18,600 when the citizens not from the UK don’t?

As I have said, I would simply like to - someday - live in another EU member state (not the UK) indefinitely, get the family card for the mrs, and thus be able to travel to the UK if I should wish to.

Fortunately, this loophole is being closed as we speak so on the bright side - it won't be relevant for much longer but how is it fair that those of us who earn a crust have to support the spouses of poverty stricken numb-nuts who want to import people to the UK they can't afford to support? I don't mind paying taxes to support people who have paid in all their lives in moments of hardship; I bloody well object to paying them to support those who are too feckless to earn a living and think they should be allowed to issue a free pass to an immigrant to spend my taxes.

Once again, persoanlly I will be considering this option in the future, NOT to move to the UK, but to be able to visit the UK with my partner if I wish.

I am sure I am not the only poverty stricken numb-nuts too feckless to do so otherwise.

Mister wrote:Once again, persoanlly I will be considering this option in the future, NOT to move to the UK, but to be able to visit the UK with my partner if I wish.

I am sure I am not the only poverty stricken numb-nuts too feckless to do so otherwise.

There is nothing to prevent your partner from getting a tourist visa now; there is no minimum income requirement for that. Note: "Partner" won't cut it for the EU route anyway - husband/wife is the only acceptable route for that.

We have tried to get the visitor visa on several occasions as stated in my first post. The entry clearance officer doesn’t seem to think she has sufficient reason to leave the UK after our visit.

Unmarried partners are included as extended family members so they would still qualify - in certain EU member states - if they can prove a durable relationship.

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/re ... dex_en.htm

Mister wrote:We have tried to get the visitor visa on several occasions as stated in my first post. The entry clearance officer doesn’t seem to think she has sufficient reason to leave the UK after our visit.

Unmarried partners are included as extended family members so they would still qualify - in certain EU member states - if they can prove a durable relationship.

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/re ... dex_en.htm

Good luck with proving that when the time comes - if you can't get a tourist visa for your own country...

TheGrinchSR wrote:

Mister wrote:We have tried to get the visitor visa on several occasions as stated in my first post. The entry clearance officer doesn’t seem to think she has sufficient reason to leave the UK after our visit.

Unmarried partners are included as extended family members so they would still qualify - in certain EU member states - if they can prove a durable relationship.

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/re ... dex_en.htm

Good luck with proving that when the time comes - if you can't get a tourist visa for your own country...

From my first post (which is my first post on CEO), I said this may be something I may consider in the future - where we could already be married - not something I was planning on doing tomorrow, but thanks for pointing out the obvious obstacles that ultimately lay ahead of me and my non-EU partner (married or not).