WIREDGOV

Changes to the family visit visa route will save taxpayers more than £100 million over the next decade and speed up the system for genuine applicants, the Immigration Minister said recently (26 April, 2013).

From July, the family visit visa will no longer retain the full right of appeal, bringing the route into line with all other visit visa categories.

Previously, the system was being clogged up by a large number of appeals, many of which were being used by applicants as a means to provide further information instead of making a fresh application.

Reform

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said:

This change is part of our ongoing work to streamline the immigration process. The system we inherited was chaotic and our reforms have already seen net migration drop by almost a third.

Removing the right of appeal in these cases will prevent unnecessary delays, save £107 million over the next decade and allow officials to focus on more complex cases, such as asylum claims and foreign criminal deportations.

Faster decision-making

Under the new rules, families may apply as many times as they wish and can provide additional information in support of their application.

A decision will also be received much more quickly through this method – typically 15 days in comparison to the appeal route, which can take up to eight months.

Crime and Courts Act

The changes, part of the Crime and Courts Act which received royal assent recently, will not apply to appeals made on human rights or race discrimination grounds.

For more information on the changes to the family visitor visa, please visit the UKBA website.