UK visas: Sheffield-born man faces 'unacceptable' nine-month separation from wife to secure spousal visa

Darren Hall was born in Sheffield in 1965 but his family emigrated to South Africa four years later and he has lived there ever since, meeting his wife Venita there and starting a family with her.

The 57-year-old has returned to the UK, saying he no longer felt safe in South Africa due to the crime rate. He insists he and his wife, who have two grown-up children living in South Africa, have ‘plenty to contribute’ and are not looking to ‘leech off the state’.

He travelled to the UK with Venita, believing she would be able to apply for permanent residency while they were together in Britain.

But he claims the rules mean she has to return to South Africa to apply for a spousal visa and wait there until it is approved, which he says based on other people’s experiences is likely to take between six and nine months.

The conditions mean that for her application to be successful he must have been working in the UK for at least six months, earning at least £18,600 a year, since they do not have the £62,500 in the bank which is otherwise required.

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That means he cannot stay with her, and he says travelling back and forth in between work would be unaffordable.

Mr Hall said: “In my opinion it is unacceptable for the UK government to force husband and wife to separate for this period of time, especially if you are 50-plus years old and have been married for over 26 years,” he said.

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“We honestly thought we would be able to get a spousal visa from within the UK, as I am a British Citizen. I believe the spousal visa application should have different tiers, and each application should be judged on its merits.

“I believe I could get a good job here, as could my wife, who worked in school administration, and we have plenty to contribute to society. We’re honest, hardworking people. We’re not here to leech off the state.

“I was a seafood buyer in South Africa for a chain with 180 restaurants. You guys are struggling to get fish in the UK. I can get tonnes and tonnes of Namibian hake.”

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Mr Hall added that he understood they were required to pay a visa fee of £1,580 but felt that handing over so much money should guarantee a faster turnaround. He also said there should be a rebate on the £1,872 NHS fee once people start working and paying taxes.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Mrs Hall is currently in the UK on a visitor visa. Visitor visas permit applicants to visit the UK for up to six months.

“Applicants intending to live permanently with a partner in the UK are expected to apply for the appropriate entry clearance before travelling.”

The Home Office added that it had been prioritising applications from Ukrainians fleeing the war, meaning family visas were taking up to 24 weeks to process, which is longer than usual.

It said all visa applications were carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with immigration rules.

For details about applying for family visas, visit: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse.