Change to family visitor appeals
The Home Office is removing the full right of appeal for applicants refused leave to enter the UK as a family visitor.
On 25th April 2013 Royal Assent was given to a clause in the Crime and Courts Bill, published on 10th May 2012, which will allow the change to be pushed through.
The change is expected to come into force on or soon after 25th June. The new appeal arrangements will apply to anybody who applies to enter the UK to visit a family member on or after the implementation date.
By removing the right of appeal, the Government claims it is bringing the family visitor visa in line with all other visitor visa categories.
Applicants who are refused can re-apply addressing the reasons for refusal instead of appealing. This will be quicker and cost less than an appeal, say the Government. In 2011-12 95% of applications were decided within 15 days, whereas the appeal system can take up to eight months to deliver a result.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0.
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