UK Allowed 10% Nigerian Visa Applicants ‘Indefinite’ Stay Incorrectly

United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) Chief Inspector John Vine says visa applications at UK visa office in Nigeria were wrong refused by ‘disregarding or misinterpreting’ evidence.

UKBA made also a “serious error” in granting ”indefinite leave to enter the UK” – rather than the usual 27-month limit to  14 visa applicants out of 134 applications reviewed at UK visa office in Nigeria.

The report further shows that applications of some visa applicants were refused for not providing information that was not even requested.

The review of the visa processes was carried out between May and July 2011, to evaluate the visa application handling procedures at four UKBA posts in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Croydon, south London – which deals with Algerian-based applications.

Chief Inspector’s report a number of irregularities in the processing of UK visa applications. For instance UKBA staff did not even retain documents required to support the decision made on some of the applications.  In one case, an applicant wishing to visit his uncle in the UK was turned down because they had different family names.

Mr Vine indicated in the report that UKBA had made only some progress in a number of areas for which the recommendations were made during previous reviews. He said, “This is especially frustrating”, he said, “considering the agency has accepted the recommendations, and yet I continue to identify the same issues.”

UKBA Chief Inspector further said, “I would now like to see these recommendations being embraced by the agency without delay to ensure that there is a real improvement in the quality and consistency of decision making.”

A UKBA spokesman said, “We take the independent chief inspector’s findings seriously and are making reforms, which include providing detailed guidance to applicants and improving the training for staff handling visa applications. The UKBA must offer a high quality service for genuine applicants while ensuring that those who do not meet the immigration rules are prevented from entering the UK.”

Tags: England, Immigration, UK, UK Border Agency, UK visa office, UK visit visa, UKBA, United Kingdom, visit visa