Comments on: That immigration story in full

By: Thom

Thom — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:14:53 +0000

And to think there was a time that all was required was a few weeks quarantine in which to screen you for consumption or tetatus; now the assumption is that you are “diseased” in some way, where economically or pathologically speaking. ;-)

By: bellagerens

bellagerens — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:03:49 +0000

My point being – I should add – that just because the US does it doesn’t make it okay for the UK to do it. If I had my way, immigration restrictions in both countries would be a lot less stringent.

By: bellagerens

bellagerens — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:03:03 +0000

Well, he’s still a lot less poorer than I am as a result of all that. $650 is about the same as £350. I paid more than twice that, and lost both a job and a job contract at which I would have earned, by this point in time, £6800 after tax.

By: Peter MacFarlane

Peter MacFarlane — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:02:22 +0000

While I feel for your frustration (and congratulate you on your eventual success), I am afraid it’s pretty much even stevens between the US and the UK in these areas.

A close relative just completed a training course in the US in a highly-specialised manual skill.

Despite being offered a year’s work by an excellent employer in the field, he was completely unable to obtain any kind of working visa, since it was “obvious” that there would be Americans qualified and willing to take the job instead.

So he’s coming home, $650 the poorer for the application fee – not returned on refusal, needless to say.

You would never think our nations were old friends. Perhaps in fact they are not.

Of course, in both cases had the applicant been a favoured-minority welfare-scrounger, out would have come the red carpet, and in the UK at least it would be “where would you like us to provide you a house, and when will your family be joining you?”.

By: bellagerens

bellagerens — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:41:59 +0000

I wasn’t anybody’s mrs. at the time, though. On the other hand, perhaps their recent caving means they realised they had hitherto been busy harassing the wife of the next prime minister…

By: Thom

Thom — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:37:51 +0000

*dons tinfoil hat*

Like Mr Withers could it have anything to do with you being the Mrs to the leader of a political party? Particular one in polar opposition to NuLabour and the communitarian movement? Just saying is all…

By: HrothgarOfHeorot

HrothgarOfHeorot — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:25:50 +0000

I imagine your face and eyes are in some echelon-type database somewhere deep underground never to be seen again. I wouldn’t worry too much about that. The state is usually more stupid than it is evil. Case-in-point: they say the millions of surveillance cameras in London do next to nothing and those are the devices meant to use facial recognition.

Congratulations on your visa. Now go make dat paper so you can come home again.

By: Ed P

Ed P — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:52:12 +0000

Perhaps G. Brown read Kafka at Uni?

By: Prodicus

Prodicus — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:48:46 +0000

Marks for persistence.

I nearly fell out of bed and squashed the cat this morning, listening to Woolas defending ‘his’ staff, as he deludes himself they are. His job is to be held accountable for the appalling shower, not to defend them against legit crit. (Blogpost rant).

Anyway, welcome to England, Mrs Devil. Live long and prosper.