Alison’s story

Alison first contacted us in February 2023 and told us that their family had become separated because they couldn’t afford the cost of a visa for her husband. They married in 2018 and they had lived in the UK, Alison’s home country, and then in her husband’s home country for several years. However, she had not been able to learn the language and was finding it impossible to integrate. She returned to the UK when she was expecting her second child as she feared giving birth without being able to communicate and without support from her family in the UK. This meant her and the children had to be separated from her husband and dad.

The couple tried to make things work with regular visits but this was expensive but also very damaging to them and their children. At the first appointment it was apparent that they were in despair and their enquiry was about whether there was any way the husband could apply to live in the UK with them.

We helped them through this process, including making a fee waiver application first since they could not afford the almost £4,000 cost of the applications. In March 2024 we received a decision from the Home Office granting the husband permission to stay in the UK. With the family reunited and able to live together once again they were relieved and very happy. They told us that ‘if I hadn’t had help my family would have been separated for years can never explain how thankful I am, you saved our lives’.