We Came to the UK for a Better Life, Raised Our Children and Settled Here, But Now Our Future Is Shaken by a Rule We Never Saw Coming

Gozde and her husband, Ercan, came to the UK in 2021 hoping to build a better and more secure future for their family. After leaving Turkey with their two young children, they believed Britain would offer the stability they felt was missing back home.

They expected to work hard, contribute to society, and eventually make the UK their permanent home. But now, just as they believed they were reaching that goal, changes to the immigration system have left their future hanging in the balance.

The family moved from Istanbul under the Turkish ECAA Businessperson visa, which allowed Gozde to start her own legal consultancy business while bringing her husband and children with her.

They made the difficult decision to leave behind successful careers because they wanted their children to grow up in a country where the economy, education system, and political environment were more predictable. They believed the UK could offer that opportunity.

For years, everything appeared to be moving in the right direction. The family settled into life in south London, built friendships, and became active members of their local community. They worked, paid taxes, and did everything expected of them. Their children adapted quickly, made friends at school, and began to see Britain as the only home they truly knew.

However, those hopes have now been shaken after the Government announced plans to change the rules for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Under the previous system, many migrants, including those on visas like Gozde’s, expected to become eligible for permanent settlement after five years. The proposed changes would increase the standard qualifying period to ten years for many applicants, leaving thousands of families uncertain about what comes next.

For Gozde and Ercan, the timing could not be worse. They had expected to apply for permanent residency this year, but the new proposals have left them wondering whether they will instead have to continue renewing expensive visas for years to come. Instead of finally feeling settled, they now face more uncertainty and rising financial pressure.

The family says they feel deeply disappointed because they made life-changing decisions based on the rules that existed when they arrived in Britain. They believe they kept their side of the agreement by working, paying taxes, integrating into British society, and contributing positively to their community. Now they fear the goalposts are being moved just as they are about to reach the finish line.

The financial impact is also causing serious concern. Every visa renewal for the family costs thousands of pounds, and extending the settlement period could force them to spend well over £12,000 on further applications. That money could otherwise have gone towards supporting their children or building their future in Britain.

Ercan, who worked as a doctor in Turkey, is currently studying to qualify to practise medicine in the UK. Without permanent residency, he must continue paying international tuition fees, which are significantly higher than the fees paid by UK residents. He says it becomes increasingly difficult to justify continuing his studies if he cannot be sure his family will be allowed to remain in the country long term.

Although the couple both work in skilled professions and together earn more than £50,000 a year, the proposed immigration rules focus on the income of the main visa holder. Because Gozde’s individual income is below the required threshold, they may not qualify for the shorter route to settlement despite their combined earnings and years of contribution.

Outside their careers, both have invested heavily in their local community. Ercan volunteers with young people through the local council, while Gozde has even applied to become a magistrate. However, she recently discovered she cannot begin serving in that role until she receives indefinite leave to remain, adding to her frustration.

The emotional toll has been just as difficult as the financial strain. Their children, now aged nine and twelve, regularly ask whether they will be allowed to stay in Britain. Having spent much of their childhood in the UK, they have built their lives around their schools, friends, and local community. The thought of returning to Turkey is upsetting for them because Britain is now the only home they truly remember.

Adding to their anxiety is the long wait for a decision on their visa extension. The family submitted their application many months ago and are still waiting for an answer. According to organisations that support migrants, older visa categories like the Turkish ECAA route often take much longer to process because there are fewer specialist staff handling those applications.

The uncertainty has left the family unable to make long-term plans. They do not know whether to continue investing in their careers in Britain, prepare for another expensive visa renewal, or begin thinking about leaving the country altogether. They say the waiting has become one of the hardest parts of the entire process.

Campaigners argue that many families like Gozde and Ercan uprooted their lives and came to Britain believing they would qualify for permanent settlement after five years under the rules that existed at the time. They believe changing those rules after people have already built their lives in the UK risks damaging trust and creating unnecessary hardship for thousands of migrants who have followed the legal process from the beginning.

The Home Office has acknowledged that applications under the old Turkish ECAA visa route are taking longer to process because of increased demand and says additional staff have been assigned to reduce delays. The department also maintains that settlement in the UK is a privilege rather than an automatic right and says the planned reforms are designed to ensure those who remain in Britain have made a meaningful contribution to the country.

For Gozde and Ercan, however, the issue goes beyond immigration policy. They say they came to Britain believing they had found the stability they could not find in Turkey. After years of building a life, contributing to their community, and raising their children here, they now fear the future they worked so hard to create could disappear because the rules changed before they reached the finish line.