Just out of interest - here is an email I sent to the boy Miliband currently "running" the FCO:
As the below is now a
stated case in EU law, could you please advise me on the questions which follow it:
BRUSSELS, July 25 (Reuters) - People from outside the
European Union married to the bloc's citizens must be allowed to
stay in an EU country where their spouse resides, the EU's top
court ruled on Friday.
The ruling is expected to put pressure on some EU states
which, seeking to curb flows of immigrants, restrict the
spouses' residence rights
The European Court of Justice ruled in favour of four
African men who married EU citizens in Ireland but were later
refused a permit to stay in that country.
The Irish justice ministry had argued that under the
country's law such permits could be granted only to people who
had been lawful residents of another EU member states.
But the court said the provision breached the EU's directive
on free movement of citizens.
"A non-Community spouse of a citizen of the Union can move
and reside with that citizen in the Union without having
previously been lawfully resident in a member states," the
Luxembourg-based court said in a statement.
Do I still need to provide financial statements etc. etc. for my Ukrainian wife to obtain a visa to visit the UK as, according to the ruling, (unless she presents a threat to the UK via terrorism etc.), she can live there whether she has £10 Million or £10.00 with me should/when/if I chose to return unless the UK intends to restrict the movement of a UK/EU citizen as per the ruling.
I can see no reason why my/her/our personal finances etc. need to be scrutinised any longer in order to get a visa to visit the UK, as stated, it now makes no difference how much money she has should we ever return there permanently, I would therefore consider it an unwarranted infringement of my "EU citizen" civil liberties and an unnecessary invasion of privacy when applying for a visa for her henceforth. (This would probably be upheld by the EU Court in light of the above ruling).
She will be submitting a visa application soon for a visit to the UK (with absolutely no intention of either of us staying), and I assume in line with the above mentioned ruling, the relative Visa body has been instructed to allow all spouses requiring visas for entry into the UK for whatever reason to adhere to the ruling and ensure my, (as an EU citizen and as per the ruling, therefore her) unrestricted movement within the EU, which at present still includes the UK.
It remains to be seen if the new agreed Ukrainian/EU visa tariff of 35 Euros will be levied in Kyiv or not for the visa.
I await your prompt reply (as do tens of thousands of internet linked expats married to non-EU citizens).
Regards,
I will await the reply
The email address if any Brit wants to annoy the FCO with the same questions is:
msu.correspondence@fco.gov.uk 
