National Day of Action: #ActionOnVisas

National Day of Action: #ActionOnVisas

Migrant Voice are leading on organising a national day of action on Tuesday 31 October 2023 to raise awareness of visa costs and settlement routes among the public and policy makers.

The idea came from our recent national meeting on the government’s proposed visa fee increases, where we came together in solidarity, anger and determination to take action.

Groups, organisations or individuals are welcome to take part and organise actions and activities in their local area, city or community.

Let your imagination go wild. This could take the shape of creative events, coffee mornings, speeches, media interviews, meetings with politicians, etc. It’s about engaging with the community and making sure more people find out about and understand the impact of visa costs, settlement routes, the recent increases, and join us in campaigning against them.

We will have a number of online planning meetings and training sessions ahead of the day. We will prepare a resource pack with messaging, key facts and tools so we can create a unified action day while also enabling everyone to organise things that work for them and their local context.

!!! FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THIS PAGE !!!

Key dates - click on the title to sign up to the meetings:

• Day of Action first planning meeting | Tuesday 5 September • 4.30 - 6pm
• Media training session on how to engage with journalists, key talking points, etc. | Wednesday 27 September • 4.30 - 6pm
• Follow up Day of Action planning meeting | Tuesday 3 October • 4.30 - 6pm
• Advocacy training session, to run through how to pitch the message to MPs, local authorities and the wider public. | Tuesday 10 October • 4.30 - 6pm
• Day of Action | Tuesday 31 October • all day

Glasgow

• Glasgow Network Meeting - 12 October, 6-9pm at the Renfield Centre, 260 Bath St, G2 4JP. We will learn about the impact of extortionate visa fees from migrants, lawyers and migrant rights organisations. You will also be given the opportunity to share your own experiences and views.
• Banner making and planning session - 17 October, 6-9pm at the Woodlands Community, 66 Ashley Street, G3 6HW. We’ll be creating banners for our Day of Action and will use this opportunity to also exchange some more ideas with each other.
• And if you’re based in or around Glasgow, join our visa fee-themed Halloween Ceilidh on 31 October.

Birmingham

• Banner making workshop - 11 October, 1-4pm at Zellig. Join us here to help us create some banners and get to know each other.
• Banner making and planning workshop - Thursday 19 October, 1-4pm at The Zellig, Gibb Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B9 4AT. We’ll be creating banners and exchanging plans and ideas for our Halloween Day of Action on visa fees. All welcome. To find out more or to take part, email loraine@migrantvoice.org or WhatsApp/call 07849182225.
• Day of Action - 31 October 3-5pm: meeting at Centenary Square. We'll have costumes, banners, placards and speeches.

Please fill in this form if you are interested in organising or participating in any activities on our Day of Action. You will get updates on our work and will be able to join our meetings in preparation ahead of 31 October.
Don't worry, you can change your mind! This is not binding and you can opt out any time.

I want to join the Day of Action

If you have any questions or would like more information, please email campaigns@migrantvoice.org.

Background

The government has proposed new punishing increases, to what are already extortionate visa and settlement charges.

Currently an individual pays £5,216 on the five-year route and £10,432 on the 10-year route before being able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Visas are already charged at 7-10 times the cost of processing.

The cost affects every aspect of people’s lives: health, work, debt, relationships, poverty, life chances, being in limbo between applications. Our campaign has been raising the issue with hundreds of MPs, and in the public.

Now these fees are set to increase at least 15-20% with the NHS surcharge on its own going up 66%.

The government claims that this is how it will pay for public sector pay rises, but what migrants will really be doing is #PayingForInequality. On 31 October we will be taking #ActionOnVisas and demad a fairer, simpler system that works for everyone.

The policy is cruel, cynical and trying to pit people against each other. We reject this zero-sum narrative.

In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis this deliberate unjust act will impoverish and take food away from many who are already paying more in fees than they would in most other countries.

Join us and migrants from across the UK to stand up against these unjust fee increases, which are an attack on migrants.