Home Office Decision-Making Delays: What Is Reasonable & How to Respond

Introduction

Normal processing times for straightforward immigration applications in the UK have come down over the last few months, but the number of cases falling outside the norm have instead increased. Delays in such cases are increasingly common and have a knock-on effect on the ability of individuals to find work, settle, travel and seek safety. Protection cases are most gravely affected, with waiting times between 12-36 months, depending on nationality and complexity, but we see lengthy delays in family and private life applications, delays in issuing certificates of sponsorship and in decisions on nationality matters. Recent changes to the immigration system in family and business routes have added to those delays and the protection and trafficking teams are now years behind schedule.

This webinar examines the key factors contributing to delays, outlines measures that may help prevent further delays and explores the options available to those affected. It also provides a step-by-step guide to challenging delays and explains the appropriate course of action in cases requiring urgent attention.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• What is behind the delays
• What is a reasonable amount of time in different types of cases
• Priority cases - how to identify them and how to ensure they are properly addressed
• How to avoid contributing to delays
• Alternatives to legal challenges
• Pre-action steps
• Challenging delay decisions by way of JR
• Impact of delay on other matters