100,000 migrant family visa bids

THE number of migrants seeking to join their families in the UK has soared over the past seven years, a report reveals.

- By Michael Knowles Home Affairs Editor

The Home Office received 104,600 family visa applications last year, up from 63,600 in 2018.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper paused the Tory Government plan to raise the family visa salary threshold to £38,700, prompting fears of higher net migration.

Professor Brian Bell, of the Migration Advisory Committee, believes raising the threshold would reduce numbers.

Cost