The UK Ministry of Justice has issued a notice on Visas Appeal and I would summurize as follows;
With effect from 19 December 2011
1.Appeals will now attract fees payable before determination.
2. Appeals are now to be forwarded to the Tribunal in the UK at Appellant own expense. UK Embassy will no longer process appeals from the said date.

Note; Full details of any visas category to be exempted and the full guidance of this new policy will be published on the UK Ministry of Justice's website on tne 19th of December 2011.

I will post the update here once I get thier feeds.

source:http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/december/23-appeal-fees

**moderator please can you make this sticky on the forum till 19/12/2011**

Eku Ise,

I am not down with any country that will tell me will make a decision on my visa application by mail. I need answer face to face. God Bless America.

These guys are really hard up

They have now published the fees. . . .


From today, the UK government's Ministry of Justice is introducing new fees for some asylum and immigration appeals, and changing the way customers can submit their appeals.

This new policy reflects the government's view that users of the appeals system, who can afford to pay, should contribute to the system's cost. Fees of £80 for a paper consideration and £140 for an oral hearing will be applied to appeals against decisions taken on or after 19 December 2011. . . . ,

This will put alot of people off appealing their cases, its quite expensive to be honest.

^^^

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/december/67-appeal-fees

So they are no longer applicants, they are now being reffered to as customers. Na wa ooooo

Yes now, with the recession, they need to make money fast.

Thanks justwise for puting the update up.

What a shame that Justice is now being sold/bought! Where then is fairness? They charge near premium visas fees, always failing to live upto standards when perusing supporting documents submitted by applicants and now they want applicants to pay for much of their negligence!

Ken Clarke must be suffering from partial dementia!

Omo_Tier1:

Thanks justwise for puting the update up.

What a shame that Justice is now being sold/bought! Where then is fairness? They charge near premium visas fees, always failing to live upto standards when perusing supporting documents submitted by applicants and now they want applicants to pay for much of their negligence!

Ken Clarke must be suffering from partial dementia!

Its really not fair, £140 for an oral appeal is way too much, if one wins the appeal will they refund the appeal money? I really hope so.

just wondering, shldn't such a major change in policy require parliamentary approval? Was there any ?

Secondly, aint they trying to push immigration solicitors out of job? Why would one bother seeking a solicitor when the cost of solicitor plus appeal fees would be enough to make new application or relocate to a different country entirely! But in all, justice and fairness get battered ! Shame on the UK!

justwise:

Its really not fair, £140 for an oral appeal is way too much, if one wins the appeal will they refund the appeal money? I really hope so.

I think the policy exempts some visas categories and for others you can only recover 40% of cost if you win which smacks of robbery in itself!

Basically,since appellant now 'buy' their appeal, wouldn't it be natural justice for them to also have a say on how long it should take for their appeal to be decided? Why should I pay the sums £80 or £140 and still get my appeal waiting several months before determination?

This new policy is absolute madness! Imagine this;
1.Send my appeal to FT on average 7working days.

2. FT send my appeal to the post who refused the application - 30 to 90days for review by ECM

3. ECM uphold's decision -which is ever so- sends notice through ECO, and then forwards bundle to FT- 14days on average

4. FT fix date for appeal-average 3weeks to 4months

5. FT Approves appeal, determination sent out -4weeks-
6. Post to spend 8weeks to approve visas,

MADNESS IN SIMPLICITY

Omo_Tier1:

This new policy is absolute madness! Imagine this;
1.Send my appeal to FT on average 7working days.

2. FT send my appeal to the post who refused the application - 30 to 90days for review by ECM

3. ECM uphold's decision -which is ever so- sends notice through ECO, and then forwards bundle to FT- 14days on average

4. FT fix date for appeal-average 3weeks to 4months

5. FT Approves appeal, determination sent out -4weeks-
6. Post to spend 8weeks to approve visas,

MADNESS IN SIMPLICITY

More details about the fees is here http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/guidance/courts-and-tribunals/tribunals/immigration-and-asylum/first/online-fees-guidance.pdf

Its fair to say that they are targeting students, visitors and work visa applicants.

I just learnt about this news here. These British people have really found another creative way of milking money out of hundreds of thousands of visa applicants around the world. I had two successful appeals against the UK Border Agency so I guess I enjoyed the free appeal era.

Na wa.
I was planning to renew my UK visa in January (I had a Tier 1 that lapsed cos I never worked in the UK, and didn't bother to try and renew), cos I have some business meetings to attend in March. Only for me to check the fees.

Apparently, 2-year visa is now like 71k, 5 years like 133k, and 10 years like 190k. 
I just book 6 months sharply. What nonsense
They should hold their country

AjanleKoko:

Na wa.
I was planning to renew my UK visa in January (I had a Tier 1 that lapsed cos I never worked in the UK, and didn't bother to try and renew), cos I have some business meetings to attend in March. Only for me to check the fees.

Apparently, 2-year visa is now like 71k, 5 years like 133k, and 10 years like 190k. 
I just book 6 months sharply. What nonsense
They should hold their country

I think the days of freebies are over, some people appeal for anything because its free to appeal, some dodgy lawyers encourage their clients to appeal any decision just to make money out of it. Now people have to think long and hard before appealing

justwise:

I think the days of freebies are over, some people appeal for anything because its free to appeal, some dodgy lawyers encourage their clients to appeal any decision just to make money at of it. Now people have to think long and hard before appealing.

Fair enough some people appeal for the sake of it being free, but considering the high visas fees charged and the shabby way UKBA handles visas application, i think asking applicant to pay additional money to appeal decisions is insane! Soon they would ask us to start paying for immigration bordet officials at the ports of entry

dell_net:

I am not down with any country that will tell me will make a decision on my visa application by mail. I need answer face to face. God Bless America.

And so? In US embassy the visa officer can refuse your application for any stupid reason and with no explanation or ANY right of appeal.

tunnytox:

And so? In US embassy the visa officer can refuse your application for any silly reason and with no explanation or ANY right of appeal.

America doesn't give you any chance to appeal their decisions, the UK has the fairest system compared to US

@Omo_Tier1

Merry Xmas my brother even though its in arrears, was looking for you at the other end before I finally got here. Hope you're doing very well.

phar897:

@Omo_Tier1

Merry Xmas my brother even though its in arrears, was looking for you at the other end before I finally got here. Hope you're doing very well.

Thanks, wish you a more fruitfull and rewarding 2012. Back to the oldey London, christmas was fun in Nigeria, !!!

Thanks! Xmas was abit boring here jare all the same, we thank God.

Is it ok to have your email, here is mine phar897@yahoo.com. If possible, get to know you beyond the forum 

I look forward to that.

Brother,

I've apply for Uk visiting visa in 2008 and decision was appeal which i appeal then and the decision have been taking and the letter get to me after 6 months that my APPEAL has been ALLOWED meanwhile i apply for family visiting i mean myself and my wife which mean that the appeal favour both of us. 2weeks after they start callin me from embassy to show up with some document then that my appeal has been granted and my wife is heaven pregnant then and i decide not to show up,
secondly i don't av much money to spend 4 dat trip then, My question now is that can i still use that ALLOWED APPEAL to get my visiting visa out from them or i need to re apply, reply to my email lolostic@yahoo.com