Up to £7,000 charged in UK for visas issued in Ireland
Surge in applications for UK citizens’ spouses coming from Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan
The Department of of Justice and Equality said there was an “unprecedented” upsurge in EU treaty rights applications. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill / The Irish Times
Agencies in the UK are charging up to £7,000 to help people get their non-EU spouses into the UK using visas issued by Ireland.
The activities of the agencies come against a backdrop of an unprecedented surge in visa applications for UK citizens’ spouses who come from Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. The UK is making it more difficult for such people to get visas.