Commander Simon Rawlins RN Pilot's American wife blocked by Home Office
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,915
Received 2,839 Likes
on
1,212 Posts
Out of interest I thought it wasn't allowed for serving personnel to speak to the press without permission?
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: The Home of the Gnomes
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
2 Posts
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
18 OCTOBER 2017 • 10:34PM
A decorated Royal Navy pilot nicknamed “Top Gun” has told how his American wife has been left homeless while the Home Office decides whether she can join him in Britain.
Commander Simon Rawlins, 39, said in a letter to The Telegraph that his wife, Marianne, 34, was stuck in limbo after he was posted home from the United States.
Commenting on reports that the military could be deployed to protect the borders after Brexit, Commander Rawlins said: “Perhaps I will be able to join the Home Office in preventing my wife from entering the country.”
The couple met while Commander Rawlins, who clocked up a record number of flying hours in Afghanistan, was posted to the US to support its navy. They have been living together for the past two years.
Previously describing the hair-raising aerial manoeuvres he used against a Taliban stronghold, he revealed how he flipped his Harrier jet upside down while flying up the side of a mountain at more than 500mph to scare off enemy troops.
It meant he flew just 100ft above ground, which is the minimum safe distance, leaving him vulnerable to potential rifle fire.
Mrs Rawlins has applied for a visa but is still waiting for it to be processed after being told her application was “not straightforward” but being given no explanation for the delay. She said she had been left homeless and with few possessions – having shipped most of them to the UK in anticipation of joining her husband.
“I’ve paid $100 for multiple calls and emails and all they [UK Visas and Immigration] do is keep you on the phone for as much time as possible and tell you nothing,” she said.
"To clarify, I’ve joined an online forum where I watch as people from all over the world – including Pakistan and Tunisia – are processed within mere weeks as I wait months.
"There's no accountability, they just won't tell you. I think they're numb to the idea that this actually affects lives and families, they don't seem to know or care."
Mrs Rawlins said the situation had caused her considerable financial damage and as a risk management consultant her business had been jeopardised.
She said: "As a risk management consultant, I have been forced to spend a considerable amount of money on office space and temporary housing solutions to ensure the my business is not viewed as unstable.
"The challenge for me is it's really expensive to live month-to month. I cannot sign a six month lease, which – while expensive – is less expensive than a month-to-month arrangement because I have no way of knowing how long I will be here."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are looking into the application made by Marianne Rawlins urgently to seek to resolve the situation as it contained insufficient information to be processed."
'Top Gun' Royal Navy pilot who took on Taliban while flying upside down still waiting to bring American wife home
A decorated Royal Navy pilot nicknamed “Top Gun” has told how his American wife has been left homeless while the Home Office decides whether she can join him in Britain.
Commander Simon Rawlins, 39, said in a letter to The Telegraph that his wife, Marianne, 34, was stuck in limbo after he was posted home from the United States.
Commenting on reports that the military could be deployed to protect the borders after Brexit, Commander Rawlins said: “Perhaps I will be able to join the Home Office in preventing my wife from entering the country.”
The couple met while Commander Rawlins, who clocked up a record number of flying hours in Afghanistan, was posted to the US to support its navy. They have been living together for the past two years.
Previously describing the hair-raising aerial manoeuvres he used against a Taliban stronghold, he revealed how he flipped his Harrier jet upside down while flying up the side of a mountain at more than 500mph to scare off enemy troops.
It meant he flew just 100ft above ground, which is the minimum safe distance, leaving him vulnerable to potential rifle fire.
Mrs Rawlins has applied for a visa but is still waiting for it to be processed after being told her application was “not straightforward” but being given no explanation for the delay. She said she had been left homeless and with few possessions – having shipped most of them to the UK in anticipation of joining her husband.
“I’ve paid $100 for multiple calls and emails and all they [UK Visas and Immigration] do is keep you on the phone for as much time as possible and tell you nothing,” she said.
"To clarify, I’ve joined an online forum where I watch as people from all over the world – including Pakistan and Tunisia – are processed within mere weeks as I wait months.
"There's no accountability, they just won't tell you. I think they're numb to the idea that this actually affects lives and families, they don't seem to know or care."
Mrs Rawlins said the situation had caused her considerable financial damage and as a risk management consultant her business had been jeopardised.
She said: "As a risk management consultant, I have been forced to spend a considerable amount of money on office space and temporary housing solutions to ensure the my business is not viewed as unstable.
"The challenge for me is it's really expensive to live month-to month. I cannot sign a six month lease, which – while expensive – is less expensive than a month-to-month arrangement because I have no way of knowing how long I will be here."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are looking into the application made by Marianne Rawlins urgently to seek to resolve the situation as it contained insufficient information to be processed."
'Top Gun' Royal Navy pilot who took on Taliban while flying upside down still waiting to bring American wife home
It's kinda what you do isn't it? 100ft AGL is rather high in a real combat environment. Upside down. Of course and pulling 5 or 6 g to keep down and into the next valley. It's what we all do! What's the big deal? (We've all done the A5 Pass!)
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: over the rainbow
Age: 75
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The press did a good job. The visa was issued last night.
Incidentally very unusually the story was carried in a number of British newspapers during the course of the day. No doubt the editors recoiled in horror at the incompetence of the Home Office.
But please feel free to tell us more about your personal flying skills and experience. There are threads on this site where such stories are meat and potatoes.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Odiham
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I read it, read your posts and re-read them. You are both abhorrent racists and there is no place for views like that in modern day society. I hope the mods at a minimum remove your posts.
feel free to tell us more about your personal flying skills and experience
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: over the rainbow
Age: 75
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One of the greatest tributes to both President George Bush senior and junior is that they were completely colourblind.
The most important cabinet office in the US Administration is that of Secretary of State.
George Bush Senior appointed Colin Powell. George Bush Junior appointed Condoleezza Rice. Appointments which helped pave the way for the election of Barack Obama as the next President. Although Bush junior and Obama come from different political parties, they share views on Trump's suitability for that Office including Trump's failure to deal effectively with racism.Views which have both expressed.
See the videos on this 'current' link posted today by CNN.
Bush, Obama blasts will be water off Trump's back - CNNPolitics
The most important cabinet office in the US Administration is that of Secretary of State.
George Bush Senior appointed Colin Powell. George Bush Junior appointed Condoleezza Rice. Appointments which helped pave the way for the election of Barack Obama as the next President. Although Bush junior and Obama come from different political parties, they share views on Trump's suitability for that Office including Trump's failure to deal effectively with racism.Views which have both expressed.
See the videos on this 'current' link posted today by CNN.
Bush, Obama blasts will be water off Trump's back - CNNPolitics
Last edited by roving; 20th Oct 2017 at 12:47. Reason: correct date
you do not allow all of those EU foreign nationals the immediate right to remain in the UK without first agreeing the same terms for our Expats, otherwise you have lost the bargaining chip
Good!
There are some people I want in MY country and some I do not.
Does that make me a bad person?
Apparently, for some, it does.
There are some people I want in MY country and some I do not.
Does that make me a bad person?
Apparently, for some, it does.
I also openly say that we should not allow in any migrants from Africa (due to their low IQ, low skills, and difficulties integrating even over several generations), or muslim migrants (due to their refusal to integrate or change their abhorrent customs and lifestyles), because mostly these groups make a negative contribution to our country. Doesn't make me popular with some loonies, I have to admit...
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: over the rainbow
Age: 75
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes. I guess inevitably given the great divide in the United Kingdom. It is, I am afraid, all embracing like an election campaign which drags on for three years, or maybe even longer.
I should probably close off this thread.It has achieved its object.
I should probably close off this thread.It has achieved its object.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,915
Received 2,839 Likes
on
1,212 Posts
Quote:
you do not allow all of those EU foreign nationals the immediate right to remain in the UK without first agreeing the same terms for our Expats, otherwise you have lost the bargaining chip
Not sure how I feel about my wife and son being described as "bargaining chips", Nutloose.
you do not allow all of those EU foreign nationals the immediate right to remain in the UK without first agreeing the same terms for our Expats, otherwise you have lost the bargaining chip
Not sure how I feel about my wife and son being described as "bargaining chips", Nutloose.
Join Date: May 2002
Location: No longer a hot and sandy place....but back to the UK for an indefinite period
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why is this this guy considered a 'special case' because he is in the military?
The immigration rules for spouses from non-EU countries are perfectly clear. The couple obviously did not undertake the required research and get the paperwork together.. I fully agree that the rules are dreadfully onerous and can be quite stressful for the families.
I am British by birth, have been an expat for a number of years and have a South American wife. We have been married for 9 years, but it makes no difference. We all have to go through the same awful UK immigration rules. I expect no preferential treatment, and neither should he.
The immigration rules for spouses from non-EU countries are perfectly clear. The couple obviously did not undertake the required research and get the paperwork together.. I fully agree that the rules are dreadfully onerous and can be quite stressful for the families.
I am British by birth, have been an expat for a number of years and have a South American wife. We have been married for 9 years, but it makes no difference. We all have to go through the same awful UK immigration rules. I expect no preferential treatment, and neither should he.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, New York, Paris, Moscow.
Posts: 3,632
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why is this this guy considered a 'special case' because he is in the military?
The immigration rules for spouses from non-EU countries are perfectly clear. The couple obviously did not undertake the required research and get the paperwork together.. I fully agree that the rules are dreadfully onerous and can be quite stressful for the families.
I am British by birth, have been an expat for a number of years and have a South American wife. We have been married for 9 years, but it makes no difference. We all have to go through the same awful UK immigration rules. I expect no preferential treatment, and neither should he.
The immigration rules for spouses from non-EU countries are perfectly clear. The couple obviously did not undertake the required research and get the paperwork together.. I fully agree that the rules are dreadfully onerous and can be quite stressful for the families.
I am British by birth, have been an expat for a number of years and have a South American wife. We have been married for 9 years, but it makes no difference. We all have to go through the same awful UK immigration rules. I expect no preferential treatment, and neither should he.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: over the rainbow
Age: 75
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you actually read the Telegraph article word by word, line by line, you will discover that far from expecting to be treated as a special case, they wanted to be treated as an 'ordinary case'. However the Home Office suggested that they required further information without actually saying what further information they required.
Sadly it seems delaying these applications is part of the process of reducing the number of visas issued within any given period.
edit:
as the link to the Guardian article I posted last night makes clear, after the circumstances were written up by several newspapers within hours out of no where the missing information sought by the Home Office was discovered.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have received all the information we requested to process Mrs Rawlins’ application and we have today issued her visa. We have also contacted her to apologise for any inconvenience.”
Sadly it seems delaying these applications is part of the process of reducing the number of visas issued within any given period.
edit:
as the link to the Guardian article I posted last night makes clear, after the circumstances were written up by several newspapers within hours out of no where the missing information sought by the Home Office was discovered.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have received all the information we requested to process Mrs Rawlins’ application and we have today issued her visa. We have also contacted her to apologise for any inconvenience.”