Money over love? : a critical analysis of the United Kingdom’s minimum income requirement policy for non-EEA family route visa applications

Abstract

This thesis investigated how the Minimum Income Requirement policy, established in 2012 in the United Kingdom, has directly and negatively impacted Human Rights. This is particularly relevant when considering the right to respect for private and family life; the right to marry; and the prohibition of discrimination within the Council of Europe system. The research was conducted by applying Doctrinal Legal Research methodology complemented by reform-oriented research (Law Reform). This allowed me to interpret domestic and international legal instruments which the United Kingdom is bound to and, then, analyse whether the Minimum Income Requirement policy is conflicting with Human Rights standards or not. Besides the legal aspect, the thesis also presents how social and political factors play a role in the context of the policy in question as an immigration tool utilised by the British Government to preclude migrants from entering the United Kingdom.