UKBA staff 'unfairly rejecting' African visas, report finds

UK Border Agency staff processing visa applications from Africa are "acting unfairly" and wrongly refusing entry to the UK, an independent report claims.

Chief inspector to the UKBA, John Vine, said many visas were incorrectly rejected after employees "disregarded or misinterpreted" evidence.

Some applicants were being refused for failing to provide information that had not been originally requested, he said.

The agency said it took the findings "seriously" and would improve training.

Mr Vine's inspection ran between May and July 2011, examining the applications handled at four UKBA posts in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Croydon, south London - which deals with Algerian-based applications.

He reported claims by UK Embassy staff in Algeria that the visa delays had caused "reputational damage" to the UK.

And in a review of 135 visa applications from Nigeria, his report found the UKBA had made a "serious error" after 14 cases had accidentally received "indefinite leave to enter the UK" - rather than the usual 27-month limit.

In some cases, it found UKBA staff had failed to retain documents backing up their decisions.

Various reasons for visa rejections were listed in the report. In one case, an applicant wishing to visit his uncle in the UK was turned down because they had different family names.

'Frustrating'
Visas to the UK enable successful applicants to stay and work in the country for two years, with an option to apply for permanent residency at the end of that period.

UKBA's visa bases in Abuja, Nigeria; in Pretoria, South Africa; and Nairobi, Kenya had "performed well" to meet customer service targets, Mr Vine found.

But staff at Croydon's Visa Section in the UK had been "poor" in processing applications made in Algiers, Algeria.

Mr Vine said that little progress had been made by the UKBA in a number of areas, even though recommendations had been made in previous inspections.

"This is especially frustrating", he said, "considering the agency has accepted the recommendations, and yet I continue to identify the same issues.

"I would now like to see these recommendations being embraced by the agency without delay to ensure that there is a real improvement in the quality and consistency of decision making."

A UKBA spokesman said the agency was prioritising improvement.

He said: "We take the independent chief inspector's findings seriously and are making reforms, which include providing detailed guidance to applicants and improving the training for staff handling visa applications.

"The UKBA must offer a high quality service for genuine applicants while ensuring that those who do not meet the immigration rules are prevented from entering the UK," he added

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18448733

Well, I still think that the fraudulent visa applicants and those who apply the use of impersonation make it difficult to identify genuine applicants, so, every applicant is a suspect until proven otherwise

Non EU issue or factor?

Vicjustice: Well, I still think that the fraudulent visa applicants and those who apply the use of impersonation make it difficult to identify genuine applicants, so, every applicant is a suspect until proven otherwise

I have the same opinion, the same problem that shapes immigration policies.

Border Security of UK and Australia treat Africans like sh1t.

Nice post thanks for sharing.[img]http://www.lzxin.info/g.gif[/img]

i won't blame the uk for this,afterall some nigerians are not to be trusted

This is week is full of Visa rejection

miteolu: This is week is full of Visa rejection

to prevent terrorist attach @ d olympic game

Na today? but this will surely be a thing of the past one day..."for in that place where the black race had hitherto been disdained, he shall be given double honor", says the living God.

I beg to disagree. Most times people fail to meet necessary requirements and wonder why their visa application is rejected. From personal experience, I think the UK visa application is the most straight forward. If you meet all rtheir basic requirements there should be no reason for rejection. These requirements are clearly listed on their border website. I have applied three times for UK visa and never once had a case of rejection. It's your responsibility as an applicant to prove beyond reasonable doubt about your reason for travel. I'm not overly rich or influential. I only made sure I met their requirements. Meet the requiirments and there shouldn't be any story of rejection. Let's stop making it sound like they are unfair to Africans.

awesome_t: I beg to disagree. Most times people fail to meet necessary requirements and wonder why their visa application is rejected. From personal experience, I think the UK visa application is the most straight forward. If you meet all rtheir basic requirements there should be no reason for rejection. These requirements are clearly listed on their border website. I have applied three times for UK visa and never once had a case of rejection. It's your responsibility as an applicant to prove beyond reasonable doubt about your reason for travel. I'm not overly rich or influential. I only made sure I met their requirements. Meet the requiirments and there shouldn't be any story of rejection. Let's stop making it sound like they are unfair to Africans.

nice one

Allah help this nation with all our needs so that we can be living contended life in Nigeria

@awesome_t, I totally disagree wit u, dey can b bias @times, ma 1st application ws denied cos of d money in ma account, dey said it ws 2much, it nt like sum1 just dump d moni der, I av bin running dis account 4 as long I can remember, ws a student nd just wanted 2 travel 4 hols, I met all d requirement, school approval, exam docket, sch I'd card nd blah blah yet...

Nigerians are very funny people! A man saddled with the responsibility of examining the compliance of the UKBA with laid down rules and regulations have found again and again that they have refused to comply with these rules. More worrying is that there seems to be evidence of systematic discrimination with racial inclination! Yet people are putting forward all sorts of excuses. It is a known fact that UKBA discriminate and the government in power would back them simply because most of these countries have government who neither care about their citizens or also discriminate against their own people! Can UKBA do to the Chinese what they do to most citizens of Africa origin? If you do not know, here in the UK, most illegal Chinese citizens even when caught, once they claim their passport is being processed by the Chinese Embassy, the UKBA barely pursue their case further! Why?

punitive action must be taken when e
sp.naija guy get caught..

develop your country so that you do not need to go to theirs.

hixxx1: develop your country so that you do not need to go to theirs.

Is the UK not developed? why do we still have over 2 million Brits in Spain, 2 million plus in Australia? Sorry your point is invalid as the matter at hand has to do with racial discrimination which is severely punishable under the UK laws and these officers whether UKBA or not should be dealt with according to the law.

If I was found to be discriminatory in my job even as oga, I would face disciplinary action internally and it might even involve going to jail if it found to be a systematic thing I do. So these Immigration Officers should be treated in no different way!

Will the identified error cases be refunded!!!!!? I doubt!!!!
My brother was of same mother was denied a visit visa sponsored by me despite DNA proof!!!!