MPs criticised for refusing to scrap visa fees for veterans born overseas

South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis said MPs missed an opportunity to “right a historic wrong” when they voted down plans to scrap visa fees for foreign-born veterans who want to remain in the UK.
Labour's Dan Jarvis and Tory MP Johnny Mercer, who are both veterans, are calling for visa fees for foreign-born veterans with five years' service to be scrappedLabour's Dan Jarvis and Tory MP Johnny Mercer, who are both veterans, are calling for visa fees for foreign-born veterans with five years' service to be scrapped
Labour's Dan Jarvis and Tory MP Johnny Mercer, who are both veterans, are calling for visa fees for foreign-born veterans with five years' service to be scrapped

The MP for Barnsley Central, who is a former British Army major, and Tory MP Johnny Mercer, a former army officer, put forward an amendment to the Nationality and Borders Bill, to waive fees for those with five years’ service.

But MPs voted 296 to 251 (majority of 45) against the amendment last night in the House of Commons.

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Visas for foreigners who have served in armed forces currently cost £2,389. Each member of their family also has to pay the fee if they want to remain in the UK, meaning it can cost a family of four nearly £10,000.

Mr Jarvis said: “It’s utterly shameful that members of our Armed Forces are made to pay thousands of pounds to make a home in the country they risked their lives for.

“This was a chance for MPs to right a historic wrong. Instead, the Government have shown a complete disregard for our foreign and Commonwealth-born servicemen and women.

“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the amendment. The fight for justice continues.”

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According to the Ministry of Defence, there are around 9,000 foreigners serving in the British armed forces and around 500 leave every year.

The Government has promised to address the issue and launched a consultation on proposals to scrap fees for people who have served in the armed forces for 12 years, but not for their family members.

Mr Jarvis said that threshold is “unduly high” and the proposal would only alleviate costs “for a fraction of personnel”.

Mr Mercer, who is a former veterans minister, said that 12-year figure had been “plucked out of the air” by the Government and there is “no evidence whatsoever to back it up.”

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Speaking in Parliament before the vote, he also described claims that waiving the visa fees would cost the Government £160m as “garbage”.

The MP for Plymouth Moor View said all the political parties were prepared to support the amendment “except the Conservatives”.

“We are the ones who made a promise that we would do something about that and that is unconscionable,” he said.

Mr Mercer and 14 other Conservative MPs rebelled to support the amendment on Tuesday night.