Back to UK NewsMore arrests leading to visa and immigration appeals increasing
LONDON May 13: Processing delays, as well as refusals, are increasingly being experienced by migrants applying for visa extensions, indefinite leave to remain and UK Naturalisation or British Citizenship.
Even EU citizens are not exempt from long waits to exercise treaty rights.
Yellow Card applications for Bulgarians and Romanians are taking up to six months on postal applications and getting an appointment to hand in the documents at the Croydon public office is like trying to get a ticket for the London Olympics.
A year ago it took 3 to 4 weeks to obtain a yellow card to study and work in the UK.
Anecdotal evidence from immigration advisers suggest an upsurge in immigration and visa appeal cases, as more refusals are dished out for cases which they say would have been granted in the past. Despite the abolition of student visa appeal rights, following the introduction of Tier 4 of the points based system in 2009, the waiting rooms at Taylor House and Hatton Cross First Tier Tribunal hearing centres look as packed as ever.
Cynthia Barker, of OISC registered immigration appeal specialist advisers Bison Management said they are ‘busier than ever’ with appeal cases:
‘We have seen more and more clients, especially in the last six months who wish to appeal against refusals by the UK Border Agency or British Embassy visa sections.
‘Bison has won a huge number of appeals including cases on human rights grounds for an overstayer.
‘But the work doesn’t stop once the appeal has been granted. Getting the UKBA or British Embassy to issue the visa is proving more difficult than ever!’
There are several students those who are getting arrested every day with stringent measures put in by the HOme Office and the UKBA. Many of them have got visas but would have either worked more than the allotted hours or overstayed without being able to join any college. An arrest means then these students have to be bailed and therefore they require a solicitor and this requires money as well.
Getting a bail hearing has too become a nightmare and during all this time the arrested person remains in the detention centre or in prison with added cost to the government.
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