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UK may not approve student and work permit visa
Published on: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 02:06:17 GMT
The major changes in UK’s immigration rules may do away with the right to appeal for people applying for student and work permit visa. The rules are likely to be given final shape and finally announced in March ’06. This move has major implications for Indians and is giving immigration lawyers and experts as well as some politicians sleepless nights. So far, when visa applications are rejected in India, applicants are allowed to make appeals.
The British High Commission forwards these appeals to London for consideration. “The refusal rate in India is quite high and in a large number of cases, appeals are granted favourably to applications.
If the right to appeal is now abolished for all categories, except family visits as proposed, working holiday-makers, students and even those with valid work permits from India will be hit,” says Graeme D Kirk, partner, Gross & Co Solicitors in Suffolk. According to the proposals, the current appeal system will be replaced by an unspecified system of administrative review.
“This is bad news for applicants from India, given the pressure under which many visa departments of the British High Commissions have to work, including limited time for interviews to meet set targets. Lawyers specialising in immigration affairs are aware of variations in the quality of decision-making by visa and entry clearance officers at British diplomatic missions around the world, and the fact that many existing decisions are overturned on appeal,” Kirk adds.
Labour MP Keith Vaz, one of the most prominent British politicians of Indian origin, is concerned about this new rule. He has initiated debates in the Houses of Lords and Commons and feels that the proposal will hit a large number of his constituents in Leicester East.
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