ALERT: An inspection of the UK Border Agency Visa Section in New York

The Chief Inspector published his report on NYC this morning.

This report is *REALLY* important to UK-Yankee and to Americans planning to migrate to the UK.

Please.  Everyone try to read this report.  Comment if appropriate. Seniors add to advice.  Remember that overall, the Chief Inspector is on *our* side.

http://icinspector.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/An-inspection-of-the-UK-Border-Agency-Visa-Section-in-New-York.pdf

NOTE:  The embargoed version is still visible on the site, it's probably an operational error.  Ignore it.

im not gonna read all that as my head is already spinning but what does it mean?

It's just like a report from the person who checks that they are doing their jobs properly, Caitlin.  They are checking whether or not the consulate is properly issuing visas, giving people the proper information, not systematically denying people they shouldn't or letting people who shouldn't be allowed to come to the UK in (note: systematic checks don't mean that people are never unjustly denied or vice versa, and one of the things the inspector addresses is the high rate of appeals for the NY consulate), etc. 

Thanks for posting this, Garry.  I skimmed it and will read it more in depth later.

Thanks for posting this, Garry.  I skimmed it and will read it more in depth later.

That's good news.  We need lots of informed and literate people reading it and mulling it over.  It affects all Americans applying for entry clearance. 

I did find the low number of settlement visas in 09/10 to be quite surprising.

I think it is also great that the inspection acknowledged that the applicant be given time to provide addition evidence.

The other part I have found astounding is the lack of care taken on maintaining evidence in files and or the inability to read evidence provided correctly.

Need to give it another read with no distractions around me, but I agree with you Garry I was initially concerned about the Chief Inspectors visit to NY but can see now how it really does go in our favour.

Onto my ereader for my long commute it goes!

In the process of reading.  Some of this stuff is both shocking and yet not surprising, given what we've seen on UKY.  People being refused for no good reason and also people being granted visas they clearly didn't qualify for.  Here's hoping that this will lead to more consistency in both visas granted and visas refused.   

a few notes:

1) I think it is troubling that they were not keeping copies of pertinent documents consistently. Especially when it seems that there were some "extra" and random requirements being asked, not keeping a complete file seems like it would make any appeal both problematic and stressful.
2) 63% of family visit decisions were overturned? That seems very high, and I would wonder, again, about the "extra" requirements it seemed were being set and the lack of documents kept.
3) If *they* aren't sure the guidance is clear....well, that's interesting (4.37 and others)
4) Seriously, all of those references to supporting docs being missing...quite worrying. Especially as it later states that this was the 4th time this issue had been highlighted (4.72)
5) The New York visa people have no oversight over Worldbridge, oh dear. (fig 24)

We have known for a long time that the Americas Desk cuts Americans a lot of slack in the entry clearance application process, and this surfaces in Vine's criticism for not carrying out all the various checks they should be doing.   In their responses, UKBA seems to think it's generally ok.

I posted in here last spring when the Chief Inspector first announced an inspection of New York that it was good news for Brits but bad news for Americans.  This is because any which way you cut it, if they regularise New York with the rest of the world, the procedures will tighten up and Americans will start getting refused.

As a Brit, I like the idea that if we are cutting people slack, we should do it for EVERYBODY all around the world.  And if we tighten up, we should not exclude the Americas Desk, but make EVERYBODY toe the line equally.  Fairness and tolerance are national aspirations of the British people, so why not?

So there's two different viewpoints.

On balance, I think the report is more transparent and objective as you'll find anywhere else coming out of the Home Office.  Overall it's a great view into how people's applications are processed and its content probably answers about 80% of the questions that arise at UK-Yankee.

I have to say, I am 100% in favour of more fairness in the application process.  Not just for Americans vs the rest of the world, but also for one American vs another.  Everyone should have the rules applied to them, fairly and equally, and if that means more Americans are refused for not including the correct evidence, then so be it.  They should have submitted a complete application in the first place.  It's so maddening to see some people refused on minor details while others coast through with barely a cursory glance at the requirements.  I agree with you Garry, that this report is very telling and gives a lot of insight into the inconsistencies that have appeared on UKY.  

Could examples of all the unfair issues be given?

Could examples of all the unfair issues be given?

To get all of them would take up too much space.  The report gives a sampling from which inference is needed in order to get all of them.

OK. Just curious as I am amazed that anyone who obtained a visa through criminal intent to deceive would post publicly.

I realise that bad people make things difficult for all others but I am not the judge, jury or a UKBA official so if people get there visas and it doesn't seem quite right, well, I am not a member of the moral vigilante and just reacting to a brief post on a forum without clear evidence would be tooting the self-righteous horn.

I have seen over reacting and impugning wrong motives too often. Thankfully there are the kind souls who don't get suspicious, or at least can give the benefit of a doubt.

Mine is a good example I was refused a visitors visa from ny saying I had never met my uncle m******* C******  86 years old , or my sponsor , I applead saying If the person was doing their job and read the papers they would have seen that M*** C***** was my sponsor his birth certifcate that they asked for shows he is 56 years old , and my uncle A*** W** is 86 years old  OH was I fuming and I was not happy with them ,, any way it went to tribunal after 2 denials   and tribunal judge said I never should have been denied , entrence , or visa , or denials , finialy I'm here in Scotland and just applied for my flr(m)

The JCWI (who are 'good guys' by the way) have issued commentary on this report.  It's worth a read...

http://jcwi.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/ukba-land-another-worrying-report/