Commander Simon Rawlins RN Pilot's American wife blocked by Home Office
 

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

Countless marriages of Brits to non-Europeans have been torn apart recently because of the present regulations. Some credit Theresa May as Home Secretary for the inhuman and illogical impasse.

From our friend Wiki:
Family migration

In June 2012, Theresa May announced that new restrictions would be introduced to reduce the number of non-European Economic Area family migrants. The changes were mostly intended to apply to new applicants after 9 July 2012.[84]
The newly introduced rules came into effect on 9 July 2012 allowing only those British citizens earning more than £18,600 to bring their spouses or their children to live with them in the UK. This figure would rise significantly in cases where visa applications are also made for children. They also increased the current two-year probationary period for partners to 5 years. The rules also prevent any adult and elderly dependents from settling in the UK unless they can demonstrate that, as a result of age, illness or disability, they require a level of long-term personal care that can only be provided by a relative in the UK.[85]
The House of Lords was concerned about the immegration (sic) issue and therefore addressed the PM in the Parliament as to whether she had examined the impact on communities and families on modest incomes, but it received no direct response.[86] The human rights group Liberty concluded that the new rules showed scant regard to the impact they would have on genuine families.[87] The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration conducted an evidence based inquiry into the impact of the rules and concluded in their report that the rules were causing very young children to be separated from their parents and could exile British citizens from the UK.[88]

I agree with her stance, 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 to ensure our nationals abroad get the same fair deal as those that are living in the UK, regardless of what Corbyn and his cronies are spouting.. and the fear was always when the None EU nationals had attained the rights to a EU passport in Germany etc, then as EU citizens they could freely travel here.

And for the record I am in favour of those legally here staying, they have built businesses, created jobs and are contributing into the UK pot, it is only fair they should have that right to remain, they came here on the understanding they could legally make the UK their home, you cannot take that away from them.

As for the Commander, I wish him a speedy and happy resolution to his current predicament.

I some how think a Commander in the Navy should qualify for that, it cannot have got that bad ;)

I certainly feel for the couple, I have to wonder the wisdom of the Commander's flippant remarks however. No need to poke the bear when you need the bear more than the bear needs you.

Maybe she will deprive a UK National of a job in risk management. I wholeheartedly support this guy and his wife, why aren't MOD Navy batting for him - maybe they are, but does seem being a WASP is a hindrance not a help in such circumstances

I spent 13 years in the Immigration Service. This sort of thing would not have happened; it appears the Home Office is now staffed by morons.

Maybe she voted for Trump?

In the photo in DTel he is a Lt -Commander.
I realise that the courtesy of Commander is often afforded, but has he been promoted since marrying?

1. She's not homeless
2. Quote "the situation as it contained insufficient information to be processed."
3. Occams razor ..

I am quite confident that Winston Churchill'd American mother did not experience such difficulties when she married his father.

Incidentally if the lady was an Australian or Canadian she would have experienced the same problems. The Home Office staff processing these applications will have 'refusal' targets.

Even if she gets in and they have children born in England, there is still no guarantee she will not be kicked out at some future date. The newspapers are littered with such stories, and as soon as the facts are published the Home Office backs down.

I firmly believe that a Junior Minister should personally sign off every such refusal or expulsion, then they would be accountable in Parliament for each decision made.

add

Isn\t Prince harry rumoured to be intent on marrying a young American lady?

Home Office issues visa to stranded Royal Navy pilot's wife

The Home Office has issued a visa and apologised to the wife of a Royal Navy pilot left stranded in the US while her husband serves in the UK.

Marianne Rawlins, 34, has been granted a UK visa to join her husband, Lt Simon Rawlins, after the UK Visa and Immigration department initially ruled her application was not straightforward and required extra information.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...vy-pilots-wife

As I posted above, the Home Officer behaves once it is in the national press.

Sir Julian Brazier, a former minister of defence, welcomed the news, but said that he was concerned that Commander Rawlins had been forced to go through the ordeal in the first place.

“It’s extremely good news that it’s been sorted out at last, but it is extraordinary that Commander Rawlins and his wife was put through all of that.

“It suggests to me that the current visa system is in need of an urgent overhaul. It is simply not right that any member of our Armed Forces should be placed in this situation.”

His comments were echoed by Colonel Richard Kemp, , the former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, who said it was “disgraceful” that the couple had been left in limbo.

“I think it’s disgraceful that a wife of a British serviceman, who is an American citizen, is unable to get access to this country or should be held up like this.”

“He has served his country his entire career, he has put himself in harm’s way - yet people who have done nothing for this country seem to be able to much more freely come and go.”

Exclusive: Wife of 'Top Gun' war hero Simon Rawlins is finally coming home after being granted visa

“It’s extremely good news that it’s been sorted out at last, but it is extraordinary that Commander Rawlins and his wife was put through all of that".

Waste of education then.

“I think it’s disgraceful that a wife of a British serviceman, who is an American citizen, is unable to get access to this country or should be held up like this.”

Really?

And in the one thread we have rank as Lt, Lt Cdr, and Cdr.

Does nobody engage brain before speaking or writing these days?

Nothing new hear, the rules have been laid down for at least 22 years that i know of. My wife is american and the hoops are well documented, believe me its a lot easier heading east than heading west.
As a senior officer, pleading ignorance is no defense, i have no sympathy.

I actually looked him up on the `London Gazette website. He was promoted to Lt Cdr in 2010.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...pplement/21038

Perhaps he has been promoted again but it has not yet been Gazetted.

All of which is irrelevant to the bullying behaviour of the British Home Office, with its teflon coated Ministers.

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.

Alternative Headlines #27

"Shock as country that votes to leave Europe because of lax immigration laws discovers that immigration laws have been tightened"

Yep, these are the sorts of people that we are letting in..

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...13-year-battle

Apparently she has been on benefits for past 13 years.

I say openly that we should welcome white christian migrants from other EU countries, and from commonwealth countries such as NZ and Australia, as the vast majority come to work hard, integrate and make a positive contribution to our country. 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...

"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..."

Makes you a racist actually as well as talking total and offensive rubbish.

Out of interest I thought it wasn't allowed for serving personnel to speak to the press without permission?

Would it be cynical to comment on how quickly it was sorted once the press, and this thread, had hold of the story

Probably not but I suspect he reached a point where he no longer gave a :mad:

Africans with low IQ,low skills? Blatantly racist & whilst I'm sure you won't absent yourself that post absolutely needs removing.Mods please take action.

Oh get over yourself. Racist my @rse...

"Groan!"
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!)

Stating people have a low IQ because they come from Africa isn't racism? Your response doesn't demonstrate some higher sensibility, on your part,just demonstrates you're a massive appendage!

The article was not intended to impress serving or former service military fighter pilots with the prowess of the pilot's flying ability, it was written to excite wider public interest in the fact that the citizen of Britain's strongest ally, namely the United States, and the wife of a British Officer and Royal Navy fast jet pilot was being denied a visa to live with him in the UK.


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.

No, it demonstrates I can think for myself and work out what the OP was actually saying. Read it again....:ugh:

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.

:ugh: Any number of 'hilarious' emojis wil never make racism acceptable.

This kind of trolling has an obvious downside, like the other day when you invited someone to reveal his name, when the whole forum knows he's published a book in his own name. Take a hint. Or take a hike.

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

Not sure how I feel about my wife and son being described as "bargaining chips", Nutloose.

I believe that it is your country now, Basil. It certainly doesn't feel like my country any more.

Sigh.

Ooh look, another Brexit thread...

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.

True, but I think you get the gist of what I was saying, you do not stand up and state all foreign EU nationals legally living here have the right to stay in the UK post Brexit and the entitlements that right brings, without first ensuring it is a two way street for those Expats choosing to live abroad, because if you do you would be hanging them out to dry without any safeguards...

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.

》》》EXACTLY《《《

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.”