UK immigration backlog 'tops 500,000' say MPs

[Somtamme]

Why is there such a large backlog of cases?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23295435

[Kevin1908]

You beat me to it. To backlog tops half a million, it will take 37 years to clear. It makes you think what are they doing but I guess that should be not doing.

Apparently it is against forum rules to make any sort of comment on this debacle otherwise as tax payer I would express my views.

[7by7]

Before people start to panic, it must be remembered that this backlog does not include ordinary family Leave to Remain applications; the vast majority of which are resolved well within the 6 month deadline set.

Therefore it is extremely unlikely that any member here or their family will be affected.

[gamini]

Why is this news of any interest to TV. This is Thailand. We live here and most of us are not the slightest bit interested in UK immigration problems.

[Rinrada]

Only when you are trying to get a friend or family member into the poxy place...

Most useless Government the World has ever known...Gideon your pick...apart from that is.....

[theoldgit]

Why is this news of any interest to TV. This is Thailand. We live here and most of us are not the slightest bit interested in UK immigration problems.

You have responded to a post in the visa's and migration to other countries forum. I suspect most readers of this forum are indeed interested in immigration issues in countries other than Thailand.

[markie53]

Why is this news of any interest to TV. This is Thailand. We live here and most of us are not the slightest bit interested in UK immigration problems.

You have responded to a post in the visa's and migration to other countries forum. I suspect most readers of this forum are indeed interested in immigration issues in countries other than Thailand.

Count me in

[bkk_mike]

Q: Why is there a giant backlog?

A: When families going on holiday have to fill in 14-page forms for each family member - for a TOURIST visa,- along with supporting documentation, the computer systems end up getting overloaded with all this crap. That means they run slowly, and with the department probably restricting overtime, slow computers directly impact the amount of work that can be done.

Additionally, I'm not sure the Civil Service is exactly known for it's work ethic.

[Somtamme]

My question was why such a large back log of cases?

The answer maybe lies in the attached recent report by the Home Affairs Committee.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/home-affairs-committee/news/130713-ukba-rpt-published/

The report explains that out of the over 500,000 backlog of cases, applications for FLR (either pending review or waiting for decision) amount to only 16,100.

So when FLR and not least ILR cases amount to such a small proportion of the total, it beggars belief why the focus of scrutiny is placed on new applicants like FLR and not on sorting out this mess. In recent years we've had a new income/savings criteria, a new life in the UK test, new English B1 standard, but what has there been to tackle the backlog?

This backlog will be critical to monitor now in context with the recent judicial review ordered on the income/savings policy. But as a new FLR applicant and if you're now placed on hold, at least you've got the Home Affairs Committee to rely on.

[Kevin1908]

My question was why such a large back log of cases?

The answer maybe lies in the attached recent report by the Home Affairs Committee.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/home-affairs-committee/news/130713-ukba-rpt-published/

The report explains that out of the over 500,000 backlog of cases, applications for FLR (either pending review or waiting for decision) amount to only 16,100.

So when FLR and not least ILR cases amount to such a small proportion of the total, it beggars belief why the focus of scrutiny is placed on new applicants like FLR and not on sorting out this mess. In recent years we've had a new income/savings criteria, a new life in the UK test, new English B1 standard, but what has there been to tackle the backlog?

This backlog will be critical to monitor now in context with the recent judicial review ordered on the income/savings policy. But as a new FLR applicant and if you're now placed on hold, at least you've got the Home Affairs Committee to rely on.

Do we have any idea of the size of the team that is working on this, I calculated that they wil have to clear 54 a day to clear the half a million in 37 years.

[theoldgit]

Off topic post and response removed.

[bobrussell]

There was a recent TV programme (not sure if it was Ch4 Dispatches) and they sent a reporter in as a temporary worker. Experienced staff were seen going from room to room looking for missing paperwork and apparently would be lucky to clear a single 'cold case' application in a day!

Unpopular as it may be to many on this site perhaps it is time to grant some of these old applications automatically and let recent applications take priority.

Start working backwards so most recent 'shelved' applications get processed in the normal way . Write to the very old addresses with a new form to confirm no change of status (criminal records etc) and requiring a reply. No reply, pull and cancel the application, criminal record etc reject the application otherwise grant the visa.

People that have been in limbo for years will have created a life in the UK that will be difficult (morally wrong?) to destroy and will probably be difficult to remove so don't bother.

If in doubt issue the visa and be done with it. The backlog is due to historical maladministration so get the system right for todays applicants. If paperwork is missing then it is the UKBA's fault and nigh on impossible to correct after this time.

A small dedicated group of staff could process a lot of applications in a short time.

Edited July 15, 2013 by bobrussell

[Kevin1908]

There was a recent TV programme (not sure if it was Ch4 Dispatches) and they sent a reporter in as a temporary worker. Experienced staff were seen going from room to room looking for missing paperwork and apparently would be lucky to clear a single 'cold case' application in a day!

Unpopular as it may be to many on this site perhaps it is time to grant some of these old applications automatically and let recent applications take priority.

Start working backwards so most recent 'shelved' applications get processed in the normal way . Write to the very old addresses with a new form to confirm no change of status (criminal records etc) and requiring a reply. No reply, pull and cancel the application, criminal record etc reject the application otherwise grant the visa.

People that have been in limbo for years will have created a life in the UK that will be difficult (morally wrong?) to destroy and will probably be difficult to remove so don't bother.

If in doubt issue the visa and be done with it. The backlog is due to historical maladministration so get the system right for todays applicants. If paperwork is missing then it is the UKBA's fault and nigh on impossible to correct after this time.

A small dedicated group of staff could process a lot of applications in a short time.

Doesn't this amount to what Nick Clegg had advocated at the election, to give amnesty to nearly 900,000 illegal immigrants. If they had been in the country 5 years and had not been in any trouble then then woule be allowed to stay.

Now that throws up a number of questions not least not being in trouble. Well illegally entering the country and working illegally is surely trouble but what I find odd is that if someone had been in trouble then they would be known to the authourities and why were they still here.

I don't see how you can deny visas to any legitimate claimant who has jumped through hoops but only earns £18599 per annum then grant amnesty to those who kept their head down for 5 years to clear the back log, and still earn significantly less than £18600 per annum.

You said thay have made a life here, well when my wife comes to apply for an ILR it will have been 5 years and her life will be here but if I am not earning at least £18600, by then more with inflation, then she will be kicked out.

[MAJIC]

There was a recent TV programme (not sure if it was Ch4 Dispatches) and they sent a reporter in as a temporary worker. Experienced staff were seen going from room to room looking for missing paperwork and apparently would be lucky to clear a single 'cold case' application in a day!

Unpopular as it may be to many on this site perhaps it is time to grant some of these old applications automatically and let recent applications take priority.

Start working backwards so most recent 'shelved' applications get processed in the normal way . Write to the very old addresses with a new form to confirm no change of status (criminal records etc) and requiring a reply. No reply, pull and cancel the application, criminal record etc reject the application otherwise grant the visa.

People that have been in limbo for years will have created a life in the UK that will be difficult (morally wrong?) to destroy and will probably be difficult to remove so don't bother.

If in doubt issue the visa and be done with it. The backlog is due to historical maladministration so get the system right for todays applicants. If paperwork is missing then it is the UKBA's fault and nigh on impossible to correct after this time.

A small dedicated group of staff could process a lot of applications in a short time.

Seems to me you are in favour of just giving up and abolishing Immigration rules in the UK altogether,and just have an open Border Policy as is already in place with the EEA!

[MAJIC]

I also have a Thai Wife,and long before I met my wife I was aware that the UK was in a position that there was a massive influx of too many Immigrants,over too many decades, vying to get into too small a Country. Over the years things have now come to a head,and we are way over saturation point on our resources,but still the demands,keep coming. If that makes me a Hypocrite in some peoples eyes,then i'm proud to stand up and be counted for telling the truth, you won't get the truth from the proffessionals in denial.
Which leaves me open to accusations of the usual Racist accusation,and having a rant! or the again usual shoot the messenger and undermine the true argument!

The Backlog of 500,000 Immigrants waiting to have their cases heard in the UK is not entirely true,unless you consider we owe them the right of entry? on demand, which no Country in the World would agree to that,ask Thailand if you don't believe me!

Edited July 17, 2013 by theoldgit
Response to deleted post removed.

[Somtamme]

Now that the UKBA has been scrapped as an arms length body previously free from interference from Parliament, it is now directly reportable to its board of directors, the Home Affairs Committee, chaired by the Rt Hon Keith Vaz.

So the admission by Sarah Rapson in her evidence to this Committee on 11th June 2013, when asked if she thought the Immigration Service would ever be fixed she said: “I don’t think so”. The Committee were apparently surprised by this revelation.

To resolve this, the Home Office Committee (HAC) have announced that it is their intention to provide adequate resources to the immigration service, including a new computer system. This is all in the face of huge public sector cuts and cessation of border exit checks, so I wonder whether this is all rhetoric, unless funds can be found?

Also, to place an amnesty on all the backlog of cases as some of you suggest, goes against all those that have been granted leave to stay legally and the purpose of controls. If the risk of such an amnesty is on our benefits system, why not condition the pardon to restrict access to public funds on the basis of sufficient insurance e.g. NI contributions?

[theoldgit]

Further off topic remarks and flames removed, as well as their responses. This is a thread about the reported backlog of immigration casework files in the UK, if you want this thread to stay open please stick to the topic.

Also bear in mind that people don't come onto this forum for spelling and grammar lessons, correcting spelling and grammer is bordering on the arrogant.

[theoldgit]

@Somtamme, I need to make a few observations regarding your recent post.

Whilst the UKBA is no longer an agency and has returned to the main Home Office fold, I can assure you that when it was an agency it certainly wasn't, as you put it, "free from interference from Parliament", the Director General of the UKBA reported to the Home Secretary and the Immigration Minister, and I can also assure you that various Members of Parliament took a particular interest in the role of the Agency, to the extent of attempting to micro manage individual cases.

You are wrong with the role of the Home Affairs Committee, they are not called the Home Office Committee, and the new DG of UKV&I certainly doesn't report to them. Whilst the Committee are very powerful and their word has a great deal of clout, they don't manage anything and certainly don't allocate resources. The Committee, which is formed by MP's from the three largest political parties, is appointed by The House of Commons and has the task of examining the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Home Office and its associated public bodies. After they examine the work, they choose an area to examine, they submit a report to which the Government has to respond, I think within two or three months.

When Sarah Rapson appeared in front of the HAC she had been in post less than two months, and given the fact that the UKV&I is now split into two units, Visas, which she is responsible for and Enforcement, she was only commenting on her side business. Certainly there is a backlog of cases and with more coming into the system every day of course it would be difficult to fix.

You are correct with your observation regarding reductions in resources, as you say embarcation checks were stopped years ago to save money, staffing levels have been reduced, Immigration Staff have been subjected to pay freezes and increased pension contributions, there have been job losses and curbs in capital expenditure, as you can imagine with the number of new cases coming into the system the staff are overwhelmed and demoralised.

I don't know if there will be a general amnesty, it wouldn't be popular with the Great British Public and with a General Election on the horizon I'm not convinced it's a route they would want to go down.

[Kevin1908]

You are correct with your observation regarding reductions in resources, as you say embarcation checks were stopped years ago to save money, staffing levels have been reduced, Immigration Staff have been subjected to pay freezes and increased pension contributions, there have been job losses and curbs in capital expenditure, as you can imagine with the number of new cases coming into the system the staff are overwhelmed and demoralised.

I don't know if there will be a general amnesty, it wouldn't be popular with the Great British Public and with a General Election on the horizon I'm not convinced it's a route they would want to go down.

I have never bought this "we are under resourced" line. Seems to me when Mr G Brown cut the levels many years ago the response by UBBA was "we'll show him" rather than knuckling down and performing. As far as I can see they don't exactly exert themselves.

I think HMRC are in a similar situation in repsonse to cutbacks, they react but making every thing take longer rather than work more efficiently.

Given the Government's declared aim to reduce immigration by making the meagre numbers of settlement visas more difficult then any sort of an amnesty would be suicide. Conversely thet can't continue piling back log onto back log onto back log.

[theoldgit]

I have never bought this "we are under resourced" line. Seems to me when Mr G Brown cut the levels many years ago the response by UBBA was "we'll show him" rather than knuckling down and performing. As far as I can see they don't exactly exert themselves.

Is your belief based on fact or just your perception based on something or the other?

[theoldgit]

Whilst it is true that those due for removal from the UK delay their removal using various ruses, it isn't always lawyers milking Legal Aid, that was tightened up years ago, it's various action groups, NGO's and even MP's and, would you believe, your local vicar who attempt to delay or prevent removals.

Not all foreign national prisoners are liable for removal, and many that are are transferred to former prisons that are operated and funded by the UKBA.

The whole immigration casework and enforcement system is massively expensive.

[Waterloo]

I tend to the opinion they are under resourced and having watched the programme that Bob refers to the biggest scandal was the creative accounting being employed to redesignate cases in order to give the impression they were acheiving results rather than making genuine progress on the backlog.

Which raises the question were the UKBA senior management deliberately deceiving the goverment and not having an honest discussion on what resources are needed, or did it just suit goverment to have someone else to blame & the system gave them plausible denial for not resourcing the system adequately.

[Waterloo]

Considering the substantial time some of these cases go back who is to say all of these people are still in the country, some of them go back severale years that is a long time to have your life in limbo.

How many have given up & gone elsewhere or even died?

It would be interesting to contact the oldest 1000 cases & see if there cases are still active or could be closed?

[Waterloo]

There was a recent TV programme (not sure if it was Ch4 Dispatches) and they sent a reporter in as a temporary worker. Experienced staff were seen going from room to room looking for missing paperwork and apparently would be lucky to clear a single 'cold case' application in a day!

Unpopular as it may be to many on this site perhaps it is time to grant some of these old applications automatically and let recent applications take priority.

Start working backwards so most recent 'shelved' applications get processed in the normal way . Write to the very old addresses with a new form to confirm no change of status (criminal records etc) and requiring a reply. No reply, pull and cancel the application, criminal record etc reject the application otherwise grant the visa.

People that have been in limbo for years will have created a life in the UK that will be difficult (morally wrong?) to destroy and will probably be difficult to remove so don't bother.

If in doubt issue the visa and be done with it. The backlog is due to historical maladministration so get the system right for todays applicants. If paperwork is missing then it is the UKBA's fault and nigh on impossible to correct after this time.

A small dedicated group of staff could process a lot of applications in a short time.

Seems to me you are in favour of just giving up and abolishing Immigration rules in the UK altogether,and just have an open Border Policy as is already in place with the EEA!

Well thats not how I read Bobs post, the applicants didn't create the backlog the administration did and it's now creating stress on the administration of UK imigration policey and is a distration.

The post does not suggest relaxing imigration policey in generale it mearly suggests a way of clearing the backlog whether we like the suggestions or not is another matter?

[MAJIC]

There was a recent TV programme (not sure if it was Ch4 Dispatches) and they sent a reporter in as a temporary worker. Experienced staff were seen going from room to room looking for missing paperwork and apparently would be lucky to clear a single 'cold case' application in a day!

Unpopular as it may be to many on this site perhaps it is time to grant some of these old applications automatically and let recent applications take priority.

Start working backwards so most recent 'shelved' applications get processed in the normal way . Write to the very old addresses with a new form to confirm no change of status (criminal records etc) and requiring a reply. No reply, pull and cancel the application, criminal record etc reject the application otherwise grant the visa.

People that have been in limbo for years will have created a life in the UK that will be difficult (morally wrong?) to destroy and will probably be difficult to remove so don't bother.

If in doubt issue the visa and be done with it. The backlog is due to historical maladministration so get the system right for todays applicants. If paperwork is missing then it is the UKBA's fault and nigh on impossible to correct after this time.

A small dedicated group of staff could process a lot of applications in a short time.

Seems to me you are in favour of just giving up and abolishing Immigration rules in the UK altogether,and just have an open Border Policy as is already in place with the EEA!

Well thats not how I read Bobs post, the applicants didn't create the backlog the administration did and it's now creating stress on the administration of UK imigration policey and is a distration.

The post does not suggest relaxing imigration policey in generale it mearly suggests a way of clearing the backlog whether we like the suggestions or not is another matter?

Obviously we see it differently,the Home Office,and home Secretary and the new Immigration Authority are not obliged to clear up Backlogs to suit any bodys opinion,or viewpoint.Their remit as declared by the Home Secretary is to reduce immigration,to manageable levels!

[7by7]

And one task in doing that is to clear the backlog.

How they do so is another matter, but the UK would not be the first country to consider an amnesty for illegal immigrants, overstayers and similar.

Edited July 17, 2013 by 7by7

[MAJIC]

And one task in doing that is to clear the backlog.

How they do so is another matter, but the UK would not be the first country to consider an amnesty for illegal immigrants, overstayers and similar.

As another poster pointed out yesterday,it's unlikely the present Government will declare an Amnesty,it's a big vote loser,(on top of votes lost,due to the cut backs) and coupled with another 500,000 expected Immigrants from Rumania and Bulgaria (who are already in Germany causing many problems,see todays Daily Express) then a Coalition will probably IMO not be enough,to return the present Government to power,which i'm sure they realise the shaky political position they are in!

[Jay Sata]

Even if there was an amnesty a large proportion of the backlog lack English and other skills needed to get a job.

On the other hand it appears the migration from Eastern Europe of young skilled people is not such a bad thing.

A report published today by the Office for Budget Responsibility said an extra 140,000 migrants every year for five decades would boost employment and bolster the public finances.

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/2013-FSR_OBR_web.pdf

Listening to R4 yesterday it appears there is a big drive to recruit nurses from the Philippines. They are well trained with fluent English and qualify

for rapid entry to jobs here in the UK.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Jay Sata

[MAJIC]

Even if there was an amnesty a large proportion of the backlog lack English and other skills needed to get a job.

On the other hand it appears the migration from Eastern Europe of young skilled people is not such a bad thing.

A report published today by the Office for Budget Responsibility said an extra 140,000 migrants every year for five decades would boost employment and bolster the public finances.

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/2013-FSR_OBR_web.pdf

Listening to R4 yesterday it appears there is a big drive to recruit nurses from the Philippines. They are well trained with fluent English and qualify

for rapid entry to jobs here in the UK.

Yes, and their English skills and qualifications are very good,as you probably know many Philipinos have been coming to the UK to work for many years.

As for worrying about the backlog,that is the least of this Governments problems!

Edited July 17, 2013 by MAJIC

[Waterloo]

There was a recent TV programme (not sure if it was Ch4 Dispatches) and they sent a reporter in as a temporary worker. Experienced staff were seen going from room to room looking for missing paperwork and apparently would be lucky to clear a single 'cold case' application in a day!

Unpopular as it may be to many on this site perhaps it is time to grant some of these old applications automatically and let recent applications take priority.

Start working backwards so most recent 'shelved' applications get processed in the normal way . Write to the very old addresses with a new form to confirm no change of status (criminal records etc) and requiring a reply. No reply, pull and cancel the application, criminal record etc reject the application otherwise grant the visa.

People that have been in limbo for years will have created a life in the UK that will be difficult (morally wrong?) to destroy and will probably be difficult to remove so don't bother.

If in doubt issue the visa and be done with it. The backlog is due to historical maladministration so get the system right for todays applicants. If paperwork is missing then it is the UKBA's fault and nigh on impossible to correct after this time.

A small dedicated group of staff could process a lot of applications in a short time.

Seems to me you are in favour of just giving up and abolishing Immigration rules in the UK altogether,and just have an open Border Policy as is already in place with the EEA!

Well thats not how I read Bobs post, the applicants didn't create the backlog the administration did and it's now creating stress on the administration of UK imigration policey and is a distration.

The post does not suggest relaxing imigration policey in generale it mearly suggests a way of clearing the backlog whether we like the suggestions or not is another matter?

Obviously we see it differently,the Home Office,and home Secretary and the new Immigration Authority are not obliged to clear up Backlogs to suit any bodys opinion,or viewpoint.Their remit as declared by the Home Secretary is to reduce immigration,to manageable levels!

Clearly we will have to agree to disagree on this, but call me old fashioned but how would you feel if your wifes application was in the backlog, they had cashed your cheque & were holding on to all your documents (passports, wedding certs, birth certs).

They have taken peoples money & through mis-mangement have allowed an unimaginable back log to build up, yes it is there responsibilitie to make efforts to clear it, but on another tack.

Thats 500,000 people presumably in country?

a) How many would have been invited to leave the country by now if their application had been handled promptly & correctly.

How many could now be asked to leave the country because they have commited criminal acts (as highlighted in the dispatches programme).

c) Considering some cases go back years (12 being the longest) & we are talking about 500,000 cases how many are now deceased.

d) How many have now had children & were does that leave them regarding citizenship.

e) How many have got fed up waiting & have left the country, can they leave the country if the UKBA have all there documents.

f) How many people are defacto staying here illegalily, but can stay because they made an application which has not been processed.

imho the backlog is a clear indicator of the problems with the imigration system of this country.

Now how that backlog is cleared is another debate, Bob made his suggestions, some will say they are pragmatic some will be very unhappy with them, clearly you are in the latter group.

Note: Can't seem to remove the Smiley no idea why it is there?

Edited July 18, 2013 by Waterloo