The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration has issued a call for evidence in relation to an inspection of the ‘onshoring’ and ‘network consolidation’ of the UK’s visa process for overseas applicants.
Whilst, on the whole, the UK’s visa application process for overseas applicants has become more efficient in recent years, there can still be occasions when it is extremely difficult for applicants to navigate the system.
Potential issues
Some of the issues we and our clients have had to navigate through recently include:
- contradictory information, or no information, about where application supporting documents should be sent to;
- staff at visa centres seeking to remove, or advise on, documents to be filed when this is outside their remit and can place the application at risk;
- online application forms that require the applicant to provide information that is not applicable to their case;
- delays in receiving copies of credibility interview notes;
- poor quality drafting in decision notices;
- slower than specified processing times.
We think the Chief Inspector’s work has the potential to be extremely important given that the remit is fairly wide. Information about the ‘customer experience’ has been specifically requested.
How to respond
Responses should be provided by 1 March 2019.
They can be emailed to: NetConCfE@icibi.gov.uk
or, posted to:
Network Consolidation Inspection Team ICIBI
5th Floor, Globe House,
89 Eccleston Square,
London,
SW1V 1PN.
Responses do not need to be particularly lengthy and can be sent by individuals about their own experiences or by businesses, universities, schools and others about the experience of their staff/students. The Chief Inspector has said that responses may be cited in the final report, although personal information will be removed.
You can find further information here.
