Top Gun pilot’s fury as visa delay leaves wife homeless
A ROYAL Navy “Top Gun” who took on the Taliban yesterday told of his dismay at a British visa delay that has left his wife homeless and stuck in California.
Commander Simon Rawlins, 39, has been trying to bring his American bride Marianne, 34, to Britain for nearly three months.
They had been living together for two years after meeting when the former Harrier jump-jet pilot was sent to support the US navy.
After Commander Rawlins returned to the UK, Mrs Rawlins applied for a visa and her belongings were shipped over in anticipation of them being reunited.
But she is still waiting for the visa to be processed after being told her application was “not straightforward”.
And due to the delay, the risk management consultant has been left homeless in Irvine, California.
Commander Rawlins, who made headlines in 2009 when he flew upside down at 100ft to scare Taliban fighters tracking British soldiers on a mountain, said Home Office officials have given them no explanation.
He said: “I’ve paid £76 for multiple calls and emails and all they (UK Visas and Immigration) do is keep you on the phone for as much time as possible and tell you nothing.
“To clarify, I’ve joined an online forum where I watch as people from all over the world – including Pakistan and Tunisia – are processed within mere weeks as I wait months. There’s no accountability, they just won’t tell you. I think they’re numb to the idea that this actually affects lives and families. They don’t seem to know or care.”
Partners of British citizens must satisfy an array of rules set out by the UK Border Agency.
Commander Rawlins, from Stamford, Lincs, flew more than 400 hours in combat – the highest of Royal Navy pilots – providing close air support to British and Nato troops in Afghanistan.
Last night a Home Office spokesman said: “We are looking into the application made by Marianne Rawlins urgently to seek to resolve the situation as it contained insufficient information to be processed.”