Write a letter to your MP to end extortionate visa fees

Write a letter to your MP to end extortionate visa fees

THURSDAY 10 MARCH, 2022

In February, we organised two training sessions on how to write a letter to your MP about the impact of extortionate visa fees. 

As part of our campaign to end extortionate visa fees, we are asking you to join us in writing to your MP about why the high fees are wrong.

For those of you who have not been directly affected, but are concerned about this issue, we would also like to see you write to your MP telling them just why you think we need to dramatically reduce the cost of visas in the UK.

At Migrant Voice, we have seen the devastating impact these fees have had on many of our migrant members and their families. 

The costs to migrants aren't just financial - many families suffer mental and physical health problems, with some families sacrificing food, heating and electricity to make sure they can make their payments to the Home Office when the time comes.

All the information you need to find out who your MP is and how to contact them is here:  https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

Below is a template for you to use and adapt if you wish to. However, we want these letters to be as personal as possible. You do not need to write too much, just a few paragraphs can go a long way to influence an MP. Let us know if you have any questions or would like us to look over your draft letters.

Please email [email protected] to let us know when you write to your MP, and who your MP is so we can keep track of who knows about our campaign. Please also let us know what kind of response you get from them.

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Dear (full name of MP),

I am a constituent of yours living at (enter your address here) and I am writing to you today to talk about the impact that the extortionate cost of renewing visas has had on my life/is having on migrants lives across the UK.

(Add a few paragraphs here about the impact it has had on your life, and/or the reasons why visa costs should be reduced. For example, people paying visas are often forced to work multiple jobs, prioritise visa payments over food or rent, and are often dealing with huge amounts of stress. We need MPs to tell the Home Office to reduce visas costs and stop profiting from Migrants.)

I am supporting Migrant Voice’s campaign against the extortionate cost of visas. Migrant Voice are calling for Visa fees to be reduced down to the administrative costs only, and for the fee to be waived for Children. They are also campaigning to abandon the 10 year route to settlement, and for all individuals on this route to immediately be placed on the 5 year route to settlement. You can find out more about their campaign here. They will soon be launching a report in Parliament into the impact that visa fees have had on migrants across the UK.

Yours sincerely,

NAME

CONTACT DETAILS (EMAIL, POSTAL ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER)