UK man's £88,000 bid to overcome Brexit 'heartache' to be with partner

A young couple torn apart by "heartache" are pleading with the public to help them raise over £88,000 so they can unite amidst skyrocketing UK visa fees.

Nathaniel Bacchus, 24, hailing from Ipplepen in Devon, and Karin Kohlmetz, 26, from Esbjerg in , initially connected on a Discord server in May 2022 through mutual online pals but quickly found themselves drawn to one another. After half a year of virtual chats, their relationship took a serious turn, prompting Nathaniel to visit Karin in Denmark for the first time in November 2022, an encounter they described as "surreal".

The lovebirds have managed several visits between the UK and Denmark since then, and now they're dreaming of tying the knot and starting a family, with Karin hoping to secure a spouse or partner visa to settle in the UK. But with the salary requirement for such visas hiked to £29,000 earlier this year, Nathaniel falls short after quitting his seven-year stint at a supermarket.

Now back in education to snag his English GCSE and aiming for a better-paying role, the duo faces the daunting task of amassing £88,500 in savings for the visa application. In a bold move, they've set up a GoFundMe page to solicit support. Speaking to PA Real Life, Nathaniel expressed his frustration with the spouse visa scheme alterations: "It just seems to be being pushed further and further out of reach for an everyday, ordinary couple."

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"When the vote was happening, I was 16 so I didn't get the chance to have a say on something which has completely affected my future."

Karin, currently studying for a visual communication degree in Denmark, shared her emotional turmoil: "It's like having your heart in two different places because you're just longing to connect again," she said. "When you go back home, you have to deal with the heartache while also being present in your own life on the inside you're broken up and in complete remorse, it's almost like you're grieving, but you have to get on with it."

The UK Government website states that the minimum income requirement for sponsoring a spouse or partner visa jumped from £18,600 to £29,000 as of April this year. Plans were in place to raise this threshold to £34,500 later in 2024 and then to £38,700 by early 2025. These increases are likely to be paused pending an independent review, expected to last several months.

Nathaniel, who doesn't have a salaried job meeting the current income criteria, and Karin, determined to settle in the UK together, are now depending on savings to apply for her visa. The UK Government's website indicates that a couple with no relevant earnings who are aiming to meet the financial requirement solely through savings now need a lump sum of £88,500 to demonstrate they can support themselves.

The pair revealed that this figure is expected to decrease once Nathaniel starts earning an annual income, which will be factored into the total amount they require. They plan to adjust the target on their fundraising page accordingly.

"I've asked so many people who do really well financially what they earn and they've been working for years and years in the same company and have not made that amount of money," Nathaniel said.

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Karin added: "We had a call with an immigration lawyer and it's getting harder and harder because of Brexit. The £88,000 is just a ridiculous amount of money and I don't know how people get through with it."

Nathaniel and Karin first crossed paths on an online Discord server in May 2022, where they were part of a group of mutual internet friends. The duo began playing video games together and engaging in group chats before realising they shared a special connection.

"We just hit it off very well, we had the same interests and there was a lot of flirtation early on. We would talk with other people on the call but eventually we moved onto private calls because I think we just clicked in a different way," she said.

Nathaniel jetted off to Denmark in November 2022 for an unforgettable encounter with Karin, extending what was meant to be a three-week visit into nearly two months, finally heading back home in January.

He recounted the experience: "It was surreal, I'm not the biggest traveller but as soon as I saw Karin, all the worries and anxieties just went away." Karin shared her sentiment: "It was completely different being together in person but different in the best way possible."

The lovebirds have managed to see each other several times since, meeting up in both the UK and Denmark, though parting remains bittersweet.

Karin confessed: "It never gets easier and we know we'll see each other again but it's hard and it feels horrible," and added poignantly, "You're so used to being attached to the hip with this person and then they're just gone."

To close the gap of 970 miles between them, the couple are on the phone daily, with Nathaniel explaining: "After we finish our days, we both immediately call each other we go to bed together on the same call and we wake up together on the same call," and assuredly states, "We spend as much time as we can together."

Facing a future together, the duo are now aiming to navigate the visa process with Karin looking to move to the UK on a spouse or partner visa. They must amass £88,500 in savings to fulfil the visa requirements, prompting them to start a GoFundMe page. Nevertheless, they face a wait of three years as Karin completes her university degree before laying down permanent roots.

Karin added that being part of a long-distance relationship has taught them the value of patience and to "take one day at a time". "You have to be in it together and you have to be very open and transparent, she advised.

A spokesperson from the Home Office said: "The minimum income requirement for family visas needs to balance a respect for family life while also maintaining the UK's economic stability."