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Soldier wives fear being deported Soldier wives fear being deported
(about 3 hours later)
Wives of soldiers from Commonwealth countries serving in the British army say they fear they will be deported if their husbands are killed or injured. Wives of soldiers from Commonwealth countries serving in the British army say they fear they will be deported if their husbands are killed.
Immigration campaigners are calling for a change in the law and say spouses are being treated as second class citizens. Without a British passport they have no right to stay on where they are living if widowed - and sometimes they have to wait up to seven years to get one.
Wives of Commonwealth soldiers can currently wait up to seven years before they can apply for a British passport. Immigration campaigners say spouses are being treated as second-class citizens and want to see the law changed.
The Ministry of Defence and the Home Office say they are currently reviewing those rules. The Home Office said the rules were currently being reviewed.
The wives of Commonwealth soldiers cannot work, have limited access to benefits and face visa restrictions on travel. Without a British passport, the wives of Commonwealth soldiers cannot work, have limited access to benefits and face visa restrictions on travel.
Their calls for more rights come a month after the setting up of a union to campaign for Commonwealth soldiers. One unnamed serviceman's wife told the BBC: "They say slavery was abolished 200 years ago but I think this is real slavery."
We are treated as second-class spouses, if not less than that Unnamed soldier's wife Why do people join the Army?
And another likened her experience to being in prison.
One woman, who like the others lived with her spouse and was based in Europe, said she would be given 90 days to leave her house if her husband was killed and would not be given a visa to stay.
"We are treated as second-class spouses, if not less than that," said another.
The women, all from the Caribbean or Africa, said without a British passport they could stay where they were only as long as their husbands did.
'Complex matter''Complex matter'
Sammie Crane, from the Army Families Federation, says spouses should have the same rights as soldiers. Many have temporary visas which they have to pay for.
Highlighting the women's restricted access to benefits, BBC correspondent Angus Crawford, said: "A Commonwealth family with two children will receive approximately half the amount of money their UK-born neighbours do."
The call for wives to be given more rights comes a month after a union was set up to campaign for Commonwealth soldiers.
Under current rules, soldiers have to wait five years before they can apply for British citizenship.
If successful, their spouses can apply for citizenship, which can take a further two years.
Sammie Crane, from the Army Families Federation, said spouses should have the same rights as soldiers and be able to start applying for citizenship at the same time "in their own right".
'Strong message'
"Immigration is really a root problem with many of these issues, and that affects families that are in the UK as well as overseas."Immigration is really a root problem with many of these issues, and that affects families that are in the UK as well as overseas.
"What I really want to see is spouses apply for naturalisation in their own right. It's a very complex matter but I do think it's feasible for something to be done here.""What I really want to see is spouses apply for naturalisation in their own right. It's a very complex matter but I do think it's feasible for something to be done here."
Keith Best, from the Immigration Advisory Service, says Commonwealth soldiers should be able to apply for citizenship once they complete basic training. Keith Best, from the Immigration Advisory Service, said Commonwealth soldiers should be able to apply for citizenship once they complete basic training.
"I think that would be a very strong message not only to act as an incentive for people to serve in our armed forces and put their lives on the line in British interests, but also it would be a way of cementing the relationship, the historic relationship we have with Commonwealth countries." "I think that would be a very strong message not only to act as an incentive for people to serve in our armed forces, and put their lives on the line in British interests, but also it would be a way of cementing the relationship, the historic relationship we have with Commonwealth countries."