February 19th 2024.
As I waved goodbye to my in-laws on a video call, I couldn't contain my joy. My husband, Abdullah, had just shared some exciting news with them - we were expecting a baby! Seeing their faces light up as Abdullah presented them with a box of booties and a baby-grow filled me with so much happiness. It had been a long time since we found out on March 15, 2023, and I couldn't wait to share our joy with our loved ones.
But just a few months later, our world came crashing down when I suffered a miscarriage in May 2023. I was devastated, and ever since then, my heart has been filled with uncertainty about our future. Will we ever be able to have the family we dreamed of? Will we ever have the chance to live together, given the government's plans to increase the minimum income requirement for a spouse/ partner visa to £29,000, and then to £38,700? It seemed like our dream of being a family was slipping away from us.
Our love story began in 2013 when I was on holiday in Egypt with my two children. We met in Sharm El Sheikh, and I was immediately taken by Abdullah's family. They lived in New Cairo but spoke English fluently and were the kindest people I ever met. I spent most of my time chatting with Abdullah's sister, and I couldn't help but notice how good he was with his nieces and nephews, and my children too. We kept in touch over social media, but when my accounts were hacked in 2014, we lost contact.
But fate had other plans for us, and when the pandemic hit, I decided to make a new Instagram account. To my surprise, Abdullah's profile popped up in my suggested list, and I couldn't resist messaging him to confirm if it was really him. And it was! We started talking every day, and I found myself falling for him more and more. I knew I had to meet him in person, and when the travel restrictions eased, I made the trip to Egypt in January 2021.
It was love at first sight when we finally met after eight years. Abdullah had planned an incredible week for us, from visiting Old Cairo to horse-riding and sleeping under the stars in the desert. I also got to meet his family again, and it was lovely to see them after so many years. We had a blast and laughed non-stop, and when it was time for me to leave, I was heartbroken.
I visited Egypt every three to four months, and in May 2022, we got married in Cairo with Abdullah's family as our witnesses. My mom was overjoyed, and even my dad, who was initially skeptical, could see how happy I was. But as much as we wanted to be together, it was challenging because I co-parent with my children's father, and we couldn't move to Egypt. My husband's incredible relationship with my children made it even harder for us to be apart, and they would always ask when he was coming to live with us.
It's not easy being in a long-distance relationship, and I've lost count of how many times I've cried myself to sleep or worked tirelessly to make ends meet and save up for our visa. And now, with the added challenge of my husband's mandatory military service in Egypt, it seems like our chances of being together are slipping away.
The recent changes to work and family visas announced by the government, including the increase in the minimum income requirement from £18,600 to £29,000 and then to £38,700, have only added to our struggles. My income of £24,500 before tax falls short of the threshold, and it breaks my heart to think that we may never have the opportunity to have another child or be a family like we dreamed of.
It's frustrating to see how only the financially privileged are allowed to fall in love with someone from a different country and bring them to the UK. Where is the morality in this? As for our future, we are at the mercy of the government, and we can only hope that they reconsider their decision. If you want to help, please sign the petition to stop the increase in the income requirement for family visas to £38,700.
Thankfully, my husband and my children have a great relationship, and we make the most of technology to stay connected through video calls and WhatsApp. But it's not the same as being together, and my heart aches every day for the uncertainty of when we will finally be able to live as a family. I hope that one day, our love story will have a happy ending, and we can be together without the fear of financial barriers.
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