Matthew’s wife’s immigration appeal reached its decision time limit on 30 July so now the appeal has to be heard by a judge in UK. Both she and Matthew are obviously upset and I had a long conversation with Matthew on the phone earlier. I sent an email to the immigration centre in Leicester on 31 July asking what the next step would be in the immigration procedure and they replied that there would be a hearing but with no fixed date or time limit.
Matthew was planning to take Molly out to her mother in Thailand as Molly is unwilling to travel out as an unaccompanied minor. I suggested to Matthew that he put pressure on Molly to go alone as he simply cannot afford either the time or the money to fly out simply to return a couple of days later. Matthew has a month’s work which will bring him some much-needed finance however looking after Molly and working full time are incompatible. Added to that the cost of childcare means another significant expense. As it is, Molly’s unaccompanied flight will cost £1,800 as it is the school holidays.
Matthew has decided that he can no longer continue to look after Molly so she will now stay out in Thailand with her mother and go to school there. At six years old, this is probably not a crucial phase in her education. He tells me that his house should complete on 7 September so at least with the money from that he can afford to pay off all his various debts although he will then no longer have anywhere to live.
I have suggested that he can either wait until the visa appeal is heard or he can make a fresh application. Unfortunately a fresh application will mean producing another set of business accounts and for his wife to retake the various English tests and medical examinations. All told perhaps another £2,000 – £2,500 in fees and expenses.
It is now around six month since the visa application was submitted.
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