Visa stress clouds my life as a scientist and parent

From ScienceMag:

When I picked up my 8-year-old daughter from school on a sunny afternoon in April, I found her excitedly planning out her future. She and her best friends had chosen which high school they wanted to attend and had already decided to join the art club and gymnastics classes. Sometimes they would walk back home together, she said. I smiled and eagerly listened to her excitement. But another thought sat in the back of my mind—one I could not burden her with: I didn’t know whether we would still be in the country by then.

I came to the United Kingdom 5 years ago as a postgraduate, keen to begin my Ph.D. research, yet unsure whether the move was permanent. My wife and I—originally from Pakistan—had been living in Saudi Arabia for years and had felt settled there. I worried about leaving behind a permanent job and close friends to pursue my academic dreams. But within a few months we started to feel that we could make a life here. We made new friends, volunteered with the community, explored beautiful Scotland, and experienced a surprising level of warmth.

My career in the U.K. also proved rewarding. After my Ph.D., I stayed to do a postdoc. I have published papers, mentored students, and worked on exciting projects. And like many other researchers, I initially believed if I excelled in my field and produced good science, stability in life would be certain.

But all along, there has been a constant uncertainty invisible to most of those around me—even my own children. Our future here depends not only on me excelling as a researcher, but also on whether we can afford to remain in the U.K. legally.

Every couple years, my family faces another cycle of visa renewals and the huge associated costs. Over the past 6 years we have spent an eye-watering amount just to continue to live and work in the country, and we are now trying to save nearly £13,000 for the next stage of renewal in 6 months.

U.K. visas are exceptionally expensive compared with many other countries. That’s partly because applicants must pay a health care surcharge up front for the full length of the visa; this alone can rack up thousands of pounds. And although some U.K. universities cover visa costs for the main applicant, this is becoming increasingly rare, and support typically doesn’t extend to children or partners.

For early-career researchers who must also contend with the uncertainty of short-term contracts, this burden can be overwhelming. Financial considerations seep into my everyday life: Before making many ordinary purchases, like buying a bike for my kids, I instinctively think about whether I should instead save that money for future visa costs.

These considerations also dampen my excitement about my research. When friends and co-workers discuss future projects and fellowship applications, they naturally focus on the science and the research questions. So do I. But at the same time, I worry I might not be able to remain to see those plans through. When my supervisor tells me a grant has been successful, my first thought is not about the science, but about whether the project funding covers visas.

The situation is difficult to discuss with family back in Pakistan. Many of them imagine we are living an easy, financially secure life. I feel guilty even thinking about asking for financial help when they believe I should instead be supporting them.

Meanwhile, my children are building lives here without fully understanding the uncertainty their parents quietly carry. Their friends are here. Their schools and sports clubs are here. Their understanding of home is increasingly tied to this country.

When I talk to other international early-career researchers, I’m struck by how many silently face similar worries. Yet these concerns rarely come up in everyday conversations. I wish they were discussed more openly so colleagues and institutional leadership better understood the pressures we are under.

Most days, I continue as normal. I go to the lab, attend group meetings, write papers, and come home to be with my kids. From the outside, I probably look like any other young researcher trying to build a career in academia. But inside, my calculations are constantly running in the background, as I try to ascertain whether we will be able to stay long enough for the future my daughter has already started to imagine.

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