Reviewing the views
Immigration Law And Accountability Mechanism
What should you know before going to the UK
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thenewblackmagazine.com |
Oli Md. Abdullah Chowdhury
Unlike in many other developed countries, UK immigration system attempts to ensure transparency and certain degree of accountability. If an Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) refuses application for entry clearance in UK, s/he must provide a written refusal notice explaining reasons behind. There are full rights of appeal for a number of categories. If you appeal against the decision, the decision is reviewed by ECM (Entry Clearance Manager). Even if ECM finds the decision lawful and reasonable, the case will be referred to Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT).
Accountability is the salient feature of quality governance and right of appeal ensures accountability of decision-making. If the reason for refusal is discriminatory or not in accordance with British Immigration Law, applicant can appeal against the decision and the appeal will be heard in AIT (http://www.ait.gov.uk). UK Immigration Law is compatible with European Convention on Human Rights too.
However, all the visitors in UK do not have a full right of appeal. A family visitor intending to visit close relatives in UK has a right to appeal against the decision of refusal of application for entry clearance. If business visitors or tourists have relatives in UK, they might claim the right of appeal as well. In order to attract full rights of appeal, they must provide details of relatives staying in UK while completing the application form authentically. An application is assessed against section 41 of the Immigration Rules.
UK Border Agency (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk) provides information about visa. Website of the agency has all the details about requirements and information regarding visas and immigration in UK.
Moreover, it has been stated in Section 42 of Immigration Rules, “A person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor may be admitted for a period not exceeding six months, subject to a condition prohibiting employment, provided the Immigration Officer is satisfied that each of the requirements of paragraph 41 is met”. Therefore, ECO must be satisfied that a person seeking leave to enter the UK as a visitor meets all of the requirements of Section 41 of the Immigration Rules.
Furthermore, the burden of proof is on the applicant applying for entry as visitor. There are eight sub-sections of the Section 41 of the Immigration Rules. An applicant needs to provide documentary evidence in order to prove that s/he meets all the requirements.
Interestingly, ECO must be satisfied that the visitor has an intention to return to his own country. “The requirements to be met by a person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor are that he intends to leave the United Kingdom at the end of the period of visit as stated by him”. It is not always very easy to prove intention and many visitors often fail to provide evidences in support of their intention to return back to their countries. If ECO is not satisfied about the intention of visitor to return to the native country, s/he will refuse the application for entry clearance as visitor and some other categories of application.
It is easy for a married person to prove intention to return than an unmarried person. If a visitor has wife and children in the country, s/he could establish his intention to return from UK in an easier way because s/he can establish significant ties in the country of residence. Although there is a common notion that aged and married persons get visit visa in UK easily, there is no such provision in immigration law. Law does not discriminate against younger people.
At the same time, visitors in UK are allowed neither to take paid employment nor engage in producing goods or services. ECO therefore, wants evidence of business and employment of persons interested in the visit. It helps to determine applicant's business and social ties in the country of residence.
However, applicants intending to visit UK must be able to meet the cost of return and onward journey and also be able to maintain and accommodate themselves in UK without recourse to public funds. Applicants must submit evidence in this regard. A sponsor solely or jointly with applicant might provide evidence of support in this regard. Sponsors from UK might undertake this responsibility and appellant could be granted entry clearance as visitor if sponsor has the means.
Large deposit without source might lead to refusal of entry clearance and it is safe to explain the source of money if there is a large deposit not consummate with the bank account history. If there is a large inconsistent deposit (not consistent with the income) in the sponsor's account, it might jeopardise the case of applicant intending to visit UK.
Public funds have strong linkage with the immigration matter in UK. Sponsors receiving money from public funds are unlikely to support visit of other people. Public funds include a range of benefits that are given to people on a low income, as well as housing support. Those ranges from income-based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) to Income Support.
Again, students though need to satisfy a number of requirements already mentioned; there are other requirements for students to meet. Appearing in International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is not a specific requirement of immigration rule for obtaining leave as student. Still, ECO must be satisfied that student intending to study in UK has the intention and ability to follow the proposed course.
In order to obtain visa as student, there must be adequate fund available in the account of either student or sponsor. “The requirements to be met by a person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a student are that he is able to meet the costs of his course and accommodation and the maintenance of himself and any dependents without taking employment or engaging in business or having recourse to public funds”- as said in 57(viii) of immigration rules.
However, British Home Office has published proposals for much tighter rules for foreign students - and the universities and colleges hosting them - under the student tier of its new Points Based System. When the new system is in place, students on courses for longer than 12 months will have to show they have sufficient funds to pay their first year of fees, plus £9,600 to cover their first year in the UK. Students wishing to bring their dependents with them will need to show they have a further £535 per month for each person they bring. Previously, there had not been any specific requirements other than satisfying ECO about funding.
To apply under points-based system and be accepted into the highly skilled worker category, a person must pass a points-based assessment. Applicant must score:
* 75 points for your attributes (age, qualifications, previous earnings, and experience in the United Kingdom); and
* 10 points for English language; and
* 10 points for available maintenance (funds).
Rights of people intending to settle in UK as spouse are secured under European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). While determining about settlement visa, ECO must take these rights into consideration. It has been stated in Article 8(1) of ECHR: “Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.” It has been further elaborated in Article 8 (2), “There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others”.
To recapitulate, immigration laws of UK are changing and practitioners must have updated information. However, UK Border Agency updates their website on a regular basis and changes appear in the website as soon as that take place. With the beginning of 2009, there will be a major shift as tighter rules have been proposed.
Reference:
www.matrixlaw.co.uk
ukinbangladesh.fco.gov.uk/en
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk
The writer is a law graduate and received training on Immigration Law in London, UK.
