LS Legal News Bulletin
Overview: a current state of UK visa application system
Thursday 23rd May 2019
UK visa application scheme is a two-stage process including the following steps:
1) Visit one of two government websites: new Access UK website, or older Visa4UK website
2) Redirection to the website of an outsourcing company hired by the Home Office in order to collect required documents and "biometrics" (fingerprints and a photograph).
Visa applicants don't interact with Home Office directly, but through third party commercial intermediaries.
Applicants share their visa application experience through informal networks, for example their private Twitter accounts. So, what is wrong with the UK visa application system these days?
1. Website problems
- Confusing application form that includes irrelevant and messed-up questions that cannot be answered in a simple way.
- Messed-up website feedback: automated emails advising on application processes contradict each other. For example, applicants often face receiving emails with different requirements for provision of the correct documents to the particular place. Consequently, it can be a challenge to identify a correct application procedure.
- Incorrect documents specification - widespread problem with Access UK is that it often provides the wrong information on accompanying documents. Failure to provide the right documents is critical for the visa admission process as it can lead to delay and additional expense.
2. Intermediary problems. The main problem regarding outsourcing companies is its focus on profitability and up-selling central government services.
- Inappropriate up-selling. For example, VFS Global, a leading outsourcing company, imposes additional high-rate services while in most cases the only service an applicant may need is a quick decision. Another common practice to stimulate demand for advisory services is using unreliable information about deadlines of visa applications which get applicants confused.
- Unsolicited advice outside Intermediaries' scope according to the merits of an application, or the decision-making process.
- Upload system errors: the uploading system is beset with technical issues and is often completely out of order.
- Inappropriate Biometrics. For those applying in UK biometrics is captured by outsourcing company Sopra Steria. Of particular concern is an insufficient number of sites that applicants can visit to have their biometrics recorded, which is, by the way, a critical step in the visa application procedure. There have also been issues of inappropriate biometrics captured by Sopra Steria, which cause a further appointment and delay.
3. Administrative issues
- Delays: applicants have reported long delays in the decision making process, even in case of overcharging for priority services.
- Inability to set up an appointment: on a previous week, for instance, there were reports of a total absence of appointments in Manchester. The inability to set up an appointment is a key concern, mostly because the online application form produced by Access UK stipulates a deadline to attend these appointments. It is unclear if applicants who cannot secure an appointment would then have their applications invalidated. The crucial problem here is that invalidated applications make the applicant an overstayer.
Conclusion
It is difficult to know what to do. The prevailing view among immigration lawyers is that our system is going to hell on a handcart. We do know that the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) is on the case and meeting with the Home Office on these issues. Ultimately, though, the over-reliance on commercial partners and flawed IT systems seems to be the problem.
