EnglishSAGuy

Hi,

Been awhile since i've been here but now it's practically full flow to try get back.

My backstory is highlighted in this thread

What's the option of my wife being able to apply for asylum? I really do believe SA is on the brink of falling apart due to the load shedding crisis. It's only a matter of time before the grid completely collapses and chaos erupts.

According the the gov.uk site

Pretty sure the bolded items could apply?

Help...

robin1234

I had to look this up since I'd never heard of it. There's a shortage of electric power supply in parts of the country? How come they don't beef up the generation capacity?

EnglishSAGuy

Long story short? They preferred to line their own pockets than take heed of the report issued in 1998 that said they need to build new power stations to keep up with the growth.

back to my question at hand though

Shirtback

I had a look at your "back story". Am I right in thinking you are looking at your wife claiming asylum because you can't meet the financial requirements for a spouse visa?

EnglishSAGuy

Yeah, with an exchange rate of close on 19:1, that works out to a fair whack of Rands!

I'm also aware of the SS route but would prefer not to have to uproot the kids multiple times.

Shirtback

I don't think this "option", as you put it, applies at all. And there's a lot more to the granting of asylum than the bolded lines you quoted: the criteria are not either/or.

BritInParis

In order to be eligible for asylum your wife would not be able to return to South Africa for fear of persecution. Being worried about electricity brownouts doesn't cut it I'm afraid.

If you do not wish to live about from your family for the six months required to meet the financial requirements for a spousal visa then going down the Surinder Singh route may be preferable.

EnglishSAGuy

And once the proverbial poo does hit the fan? Because it's pretty much guaranteed to happen...

BritInParis

Even if that was the case it wouldn't be considered persecution. There's ongoing wars in half a dozen Middle Eastern countries but that doesn't make people fleeing the violence eligible for asylum.

not2old

OP , not likely, unless she can meet the eligibility, then the scrutiny - you both could always give it a go, I suppose?

take a read of this

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...TATUS_V9_0.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...idance_v_5.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...dance_2013.pdf

There is this option, which has been done by a few

Surinder Singh : British Expat Wiki

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/policies...vement_low.pdf

including Angela V who went the route from SA with her husband + kids, through Ireland. Angela has a thread started on this

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citiz...so-far-804420/

Bnet36

Surinder Singh route is your best option and moving your children will not break them as opposed to the anarchy that you foresee in SA for your family.

Your chances with asylum are very slim.

SanDiegogirl

Isn't a true asylum seeker supposed to seek asylum in the nearest safe country ......... ?

Plenty of safe countries between South Africa and UK to apply for asylum.

not2old

true & most traveling on a plane flush their passport down the lav - off the plane 'in gibberish... Asylum seeker' like they do when they land in the UK.

France is a choice for Asylum, then a long jump to the UK

OZ, is another place for Asylum

I'd second, or third that the SS route is best for the OP

Shirtback

Botswana actually looks quite appealing.

Seriously however: from his postings here, OP is simply looking for a way to circumvent financial requirements for the spouse visa. He doesn't want to to go back to the UK ahead of his wife/family & get a job meeting the requirements, nor does he want to SS.

I'm hugely sympathetic to people stuck between a rock & a hard place because of the financial requirements, & I strongly feel the gubmint screwed up badly with them.

However the idea of even thinking about attempting to use the Geneva Convention in such a case, got my back up, a bit/a lot. I have been, & am, self-censoring...

Bnet36

Me too. I know people can get desperate but there are other ways around this sort of thing.

Self censor is on