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Q: Is it fair?
My girlfriend works in foreign property investment. Sadly, it's highlighting so many things that really infuriate me about China, Chinese people, and systems, whether they be Chinese, British r international.
For good reason, if I marry a foreign national, I have to prove that the marriage is genuine before I can take her back to the UK, and we need money, a place to live, a job, and she needs to pass the IELTs.
For us (foreigners) to come here, it is very difficult, and for us to get residency here (permanent), it is nigh on impossible. Although, there is a secret condition in any residency agreement of a foreigners which says that said foreigner should be sectioned for considering staying here, and shot when they enter the country.
Moving on, Chinese can go abroad to Australia or the UK as investors, if they have money, and get permanent residency, and they don't need to pass the IELTs test. What's more, they don't have to know English. This has been highlighted this evening by one of my girlfriend's clients, who has asked her to activate her online banking for her - an illegal operation in any western country, if I believe correctly.
Now, I know many people in the UK are for immigration. I know people who think all borders should be abolished. I also know people who are anti-immigration. I am in the middle. I believe in controlled and managed immigration.
What irates people, is when immigrants move to the UK with next to no English ability. It's why the Government has made it so much harder for immigrants to go to the UK since 2010, It's also why multiculturalism - the great advert of Labour's, when they were in power - has failed.
I am frustrated, so excuse the long post. I just find it irritating how genuine couples have such a hard job of it moving between homes, and I find it irritating that, just because you have money, you can do anything you want, have no regard for local cultures etc, and in the case of some, then get others to do your dirty illegal work for you.
Rant over.
I live in Canada, my take on ''multiculturalism'' is that they let people in to compete for Canadian jobs to keep wages down. I don't mind immigrants, I just don't like having it shoved down my throat that it's a good thing. Long ago Canada used to be a discriminating country in regards to immigration. The policy was basically from UK is OK, the farther east you went the less desirable.
Many people from other cultures come here and hate caucasians. I don't see the benefit. While borderless countries seems like a good idea, I don't think it is. Any third world person from extreme poverty would love to live in our welfare system with free health care, education.I know the UK was easy for E. Indians to immigrate to years ago, because it had been a colony. Why wouldn't people go, free education, medical and dental.
I don't agree with allowing people in just because they have money. In Canada their investments are guaranteed. My investments aren't guaranteed.
As for immigrants not speaking English, they will manage. I only learned a little Chinese and I survived, Tim bo dong, being the first.
I really think marriage visas should not be scrutinized. Whose business is it if I marry a woman 20 years older or younger or even a guy at home? Why should it matter to immigration? Who cares if the marriage will last? Nobody cares if a marriage will last at home. That's too much government intervention for me. I really think we are over regulated. Too many laws.
We need to go back to basics. Live simple, no laws, we can raid other villages on Saturday nights for food, horses and women. The only problem with that system is your gang might get bigger than my gang. You might even develop an army. So much for a simple life. There is no escape, we are all just slaves. Just roll over and take it.
MissA:
I don't want to raid for women. Can I raid for men? Or are only boys allowed to read the comment?
MissA:
And the reason marriages are scrutinised, here at least, is because there is a whole industry, here at least, of fake marriages for the purpose of getting otherwise ineligible people residency.
TedDBayer:
@ MissA, of course women can play, I'd rather be carried off by a bunch of tiny women than one big one tho. well maybe not. OK not, as long as I get carried off, God, I'd hate to be left behind.
How much can I sell myself for to bring a wife home? Think I can get US$100,000?MissA:
That's good to know. Actually, you've raised a pertinent problem. I am tiny - I would need friends to help, but I'm not good at sharing 
talk about full of it. if you marry her she does not need to pass the ielts.
the reality is many chinese are trying to do whatever they can to leave the country, so restrictions are necessary.
this is china, chinese people have no rights you expect your uk rights to be honored here?
so what some people believe borders should be abolished , some people believe elvis is still alive.(the point is, some people live in lala land)
the fact is govts do not make decisions based on what's best for the country. politicians make decisions based on what's best for them.
in the end the citizens are to blame for not better managing it's leaders
LAR:
crimo,
"In the end..........................leaders." Interesting comment. * Can you explain more what you mean by that? Thank you.
crimochina:
lar: the people choose the officials . i'll give you an example. in the states some people vote based on who has the most ridiculous opinion on abortion. so some nut says that women can't get preg from a legitimate rape. so gets re elected in his district. does absolutely nothing to create anti abortion legislature (because it is unrealistic) but he stops any legislation that is good for people (tax increases/ cuts to the military) and helps screw over his own voters by cutting money to head start , killing legislation that would require universal background checks for gun buyers. there are examples like this on the left also. people vote based on 1 or 2 unimportant issues but then get killed with the important issues. essentially we waste our votes on people we know are corrupt and incompetent. instead of doing some real research into other choices.
She doesn't need to have IELTS. I you guys get married then she has a right. My cousin once married a girl and sponsored her and he had a near minimum wage job at the time and $10,000 debt on credit cards, no assets, no car. And they did fine. She had no IELTS, and they only knew eachother for 5 months. They are doing fine now.
How long ago was that, Jungle? Thing is, I know it is stricter these days. The UK is particularly tough.
Crimo, your last sentence is spot on. I agree with you. People will argue there are no real choices, but, it's more a case of politicians are corrupt, and/or scared of making tough decisions, which the LibCons in the UK are now doing, and getting lambasted for it.
FWIW, when someone chooses to go abroad, they should make an effort to settle in to their culture and learn their language etc. Sadly, many don't. We have to learn the language here. They should do the same in our countries.
My issue is that people should not be exempt from the standard rules just because they have money.
UK immigration is bollocks. When I first met my British partner, he was a student and in deep debt (aren't they all?). Since it was impossible for him to leave at the time, I moved to the UK to live with him.... and lost my life savings attempting to make a life and a career in your ridiculously f*cked up economy. Seriously, does anyone under 50 have a decent job there any more?
Ironically, having used up most of my savings bailing him out of trouble, permanent migration to the UK was an impossibility for us because.... drumroll... we didn't have enough money! The UK wants rich Pakistanis and Chinese, nothing else.
We're now going through the residency process for him in Oz, and whenever our immigration department is pissing me off (often), I reflect that at least it's better than yours!
Rant over.
MissA:
It's a slow, slow process here. Especially if you do it in country.
CARLGODWIN1983:
You are right. Sadly, a lot of it is for one of two reasons.
The simple one is that the UK doesn't want you or anymore foreigners there because we let in too many in between 1997 and 2010 - uncontrolled immigration - which was admitted and aplogised for by the Labour Government.
The second reason has parts to it:
The Border Agency has suffered cuts, just like every other department, and so they cannot handle the workload at present, and they are struggling with this on top of dealing with the backlog from years gone by, and the task of finding the illegals that are already there.
The UK, being the most desired place that it is for immigrants from all over to be, is closing its doors.
MissA:
Good points. The irony, of course, is that they then lost a young, intelligent and newly minted university graduate because he wants to live with his partner - Australia gets the benefit of all his years of state-supported university education. Plus the business he plans to start will pay taxes in Oz, not be set up in his home country as planned.
Well, the weather is better here, so I guess we come out in front overall 
CARLGODWIN1983:
Ah, but they have bush fires and 9 of the world's top ten venomous creatures, not to mention sharks, crocodiles, and sometimes, the kangaroos and koalas that can be vicious too.
Good luck in AUstralia.
With regards student debt. The UK helps people from all backgrounds go to university if they choose to go. I think this is a good thing.
Sadly, damage has been done elsewhere in our system (uncontrolled immigration being one) resulting in a lot of graduates being left on the scrapheap as soon as they graduate.
Also, I don't think school students etc in the UK receive suitable and appropriate careers advice.
We are screaming out for qualified English and Maths teachers, not sociology students.
MissA:
Well, we're mostly pretty proud of our mental animals and entertained by how scared British and American people are of them, so that's not a bother. You forgot drop bears, by the way.
I think you may be right - most of his uni friends were studying history, philosopy, sociology, PPE and/or languages. All fascinating, for sure, but the question "and what are you planning to do once you're finished?" was usually met with a look of terror. Universities here are much more vacational, which is a mixed blessing. Learning for learning's sake is a wonderful thing, but once you get out of uni, it's nice to actually have prospects!
CARLGODWIN1983:
Exactly, MissA.
Since coming to CHina, I have established that studying a suitable and valuable degree at university is a must. My brother has ignored my opinion and reasons why for this, but he'll find out the hard way.
Good luck in AUstralia, and stay in touch (your other half too). Whereabouts are you both staying? My girlfriend is infatuated with the idea of living in Melbourne.
