Rachel Mackay, 29, from Wigan, is raising her eight-month-old daughter predominantly on her own after her husband's visa applications were repeatedly refused, leaving the family separated in different countries.
Rachel, originally from Manchester but now living in Wigan, is battling to reunite with her husband Kieyaamudien, whom she met while holidaying in Turkey two years ago. Despite the geographical divide, the couple married following an unexpected pregnancy.
Visa refusals and financial threshold
Kieyaamudien, 34, has been refused three visitor visa applications, plus one fiancé visa application before they wed. Rachel, a nail technician and mother-of-three, currently falls short of the UK spouse visa financial threshold, which requires a minimum annual income of £29,000, while Kieyaamudien's financial situation was also deemed 'insufficient'.
This means their daughter Emersyn is being brought up primarily via FaceTime conversations and occasional visits to see her father, who has been absent for all her significant developmental moments.
"It's heartbreaking," Rachel said. "He's missed so many firsts – her first laugh, first foods, first crawl and instead has had to watch them through videos and FaceTime. No parent should have to experience their child's early years through a phone screen."
Love story and unexpected pregnancy
Rachel visited Turkey with her family in August 2024, where Kieyaamudien, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, was working as a singer in the hotel. They struck up conversation after one of his shows and exchanged numbers.
Rachel said: "We stayed in touch after I came home and our relationship grew from there. Despite the distance, we knew we wanted a future together. We didn't plan to have a baby so soon, we'd always imagined getting married first."
But the pair could never have foreseen the constant battle it would take. Rachel has two children from a previous relationship, and so needs to live in the UK – but their repeated applications to secure Kieyaamudien a visa have been unsuccessful.
Heartbreak and financial strain
The couple wed in March 2026 in South Africa, but it hasn't changed their situation, and he has never been to the UK. Rachel said: "Every application costs thousands of pounds once you factor in visa fees, legal advice, travel and supporting documents."
"We've spent so much already – well over £7,000 – and we simply can't keep paying thousands of pounds with no guarantee of success," she added. "Even though we're married and have a British daughter, we still don't meet the criteria needed for him to be granted a spouse visa."
Kieyaamudien has since moved to Spain for seasonal work to be closer to Emersyn and Rachel, who save up to visit as often as they can. So far, they have been able to visit him four times, but visits are on hold as they can't afford another one while trying to save for another visa application.
Sharing their story
Rachel has been sharing their story on TikTok, where posts have garnered 1.4 million views. She said: "I'd love our story to help raise awareness of how many other families are going through the same thing."
For now, the family are saving up for another spouse visa application, with the support of a specialist immigration solicitor. Rachel said: "We're hoping that our circumstances, including our right to family life and the fact we have a British daughter together, will be properly taken into account."
"I don't feel that we should have to leave the UK. This is my home country – I was born here, I've worked since I was 16 and I've paid taxes here for years," she added. "Their lives, school, family and support network are all here. This is our home, and all we want is the opportunity to live together as an ordinary family."
The Home Office stated they do not routinely comment on individual cases, and that all visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits, in line with the Immigration Rules and based on the information and evidence provided by the applicant.
