I'm 19 years old and am intending to go abroad to get married to my fiancee this summer. I am very concerned about these new proposals, because if these new proposals come into force when i get married, i won't be able to apply for a visa for my spouse for another 2 years.

I think these new proposals are totally unfair as it seems to me that they are trying to prevent asian marriages from abroad happening by making it more difficult on the pretext that they are trying to prevent forced marraiges of which there is only a fraction !!

Some might say that these measures are not preventing people from marrying abroad but the reality for me is that in order for me to have a relationship with my husband i would be forced to leave my job and live abroad until i'm 21 and then be forced to be separated from my husband for a minimum of a year, in which time i would be looking for a job (which would be harder due to 2yr emp gap) accomodation and providing proof that i can support my husband.

Sara, Leeds, West Yorkshire

It Is ludicrous to propose a change in the law from age18 to 21 to prevent a tiny percentage of marriages that are forced.

It is infringing on our Human Rights and civil liberties and dictating what age we can marry. Unless they are intending to raise the age that an english person can marry another english person to 21 also.

I feel this is discrimination. Unfair, unjust and discriminatory and totally unacceptable!

This does not prevent forced marraiges in the U.K, nor does it address the issue of forced marraiges in the U.K.
Perhaps their time and resources would be better spent addressing the issue of teenage pregnancies and STD'S of young people in the U.K rather than preventing lawful marriages.

They are trying to make it more difficult for the marriages to work out because the couples are forced to spend lengthy time apart and it seems that they want to bring the divorce rate of Asian marriages up in line with the divorce rate of British marriage!

Hannah, Bradford, West Yorkshire

What is the evidence that raising the age of both British resident and the overses spouse to 21 will combat forced marriages (which are a tiny percentage of overall marriages)? It is an intrusion into the ability of British people to marry foreigners when they want and should not be a part of immigration control so long as the marriage is lawful. It is xenophobic and will affect adversely many British who have come from Commonwealth countries and have contributed to the British economy and way of life. The Government will also take away rights of appeal from those who come to the UK for work or study - leaving no independent scrutiny of decisions by entry clearance officers yet the Immigration Advisory Service wins up to 80% of the appeals we conduct. We should welcome the system only if it serves the best interests of Britain and British residents - turning our back on the Commonwealth will further reduce Britain's influence in the world.

Keith Best, London,

i fink its a gud idea but they shud keep the marriage age at 18 and conduct english test not all people have forced marriages its ridiculous this it shud stay at 18 and and make it harder for them to enter the auk USING ENGLISH TESTS as they have said

Mohammad Javed, Greater Manchester,

£1000 is really going to be a deterrent!. Will someone get some sense and ask for a bond of say £5000 returnable on departure os sponsored person.

tim roberts, London, UK

I dont agree with this one bit. What about the people whose marriages arent forced and their wives are under age. I got married to my wife when she was 16. After 4 months i decided to apply for a visa only to be told that applicants have to be 18 in order to apply. Now they are thinking of moving the age to 21. This can have an adverse efftect and could even result in marriages being split up. Many people dont even no so they can be living without there wife for over 5 years which is just plain stupid. Personally i think all married couples should have interviews in order for their visas to be granted or not because some cases are more urgent then others.

Nawaz, surrey, England

"Under the Government’s proposals they will also be expected to fund nonemergency medical care."

& does the government expect anyone in the health service to check eligibility before treatment? Our NHS have an over-riding code of ethics - they must treat all-comers, this code of ethics is somehow excused for medical staff in the private sector.

RW, Halifax, England

In Germany, those who are sponsoring visitors from
overseas are required to cover all costs including housing,
transportation and interpretation should their guest overstay
or work illegally. It escapes me why this cannot be done
in the UK. Quite fairly, Germans find our system beyond
ridiculous.

J. V. Karro, London, UK