THE EDITOR, Sir: I BELIEVE there are officials at the British High Commission who are really prejudiced against Jamaicans. I invited my fiancé to the UK to visit me and our child for her birthday celebration. He was turned down with statements that he was given permission before to enter the UK for two weeks and stayed for 18 months, as a student. He was also told that they do not think my 'meagre' salary could support him.
I made an appeal in the UK as his sponsor against this decision on the basis that it was not illegal to extend your stay as a visitor when my fiancé did so, as Jamaica was not a visa-requiring nation at that time. On the point about my salary I said in my appeal that I was earning more than 2,500 pounds sterling per month as a trained teacher, which was way above minimum wage in England. I showed proof of my work status, savings and accommodation.
SATISFACTORY
My appeal was satisfactory in England and my solicitor received a letter stating that the appeal was allowed and my fiance would be contacted by Jamaica's High Commission to bring in his passport and updated documents. All our job letters were updated as well as bank statements. He was asked one question about his circumstances, and it was if anything has changed. The answer was 'Yes, we got married a month before this final interview'.
INTERVIEW
On his original interview where he was denied, the High Commission was told that we were getting married and the date was given. On my interview, the date of our marriage was given so it was not as if this person doing the interview was not aware that there were changes. He chose to use our marriage to deny my now husband and father of my 4-year old child the right to visit us.
His statements were that he is now married and should make a new application, meaning, he should pay more money for another application. My fiancé did not wish for the nature of the application to be changed. He is not ready to apply for settlement; he still would like to visit his family.
He will make another appeal, because someone needs to let them know that their reasons for making many of their decisions is not even based on evidence. It is based on prejudice towards Jamaicans because of stereotypical views.
I am, etc.,
ANDREA SMITH
asmith@capitalcityacademy.org.uka
London. United Kingdom
Via Go-Jamaica
