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Comments by Sanwar Ali:
Especially after the Windrush scandal there must be a great deal of concern about record keeping by the Home Office. Can we really trust UK Visas and Immigration to behave fairly and responsibly. Too much of the time they are more concerned about immigration enforcement than treating people fairly. What if the Home Office loses data and you need to prove that you have been in the UK during a particular period of time to meet the requirements for indefinite leave to remain? Will UK visas be helpful or will they use this as an excuse to refuse a visa application?
The Hostile Environment policy has affected minority groups in particular. They have suffered abusive behaviour at the hands of the Home Office and organisations closely linked with them. Can you really trust the Home Office? They have been known to cover up dishonesty and abusive behaviour.
A new consultation by the UK government’s immigration watchdog is set to investigate whether e-passport gates affect an individual’s ability to prove their UK immigration status. The outgoing Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, David Bolt, is requesting evidence from people who have used the gates.
Bolt has asked for the evidence to conduct an inspection of the gates, which are used to verify an international traveller’s e-passport. The technology links passports to travel documents using a person’s biometric data.
The inspection will be one of Bolt’s last acts as Chief Inspector of UK Borders and Immigration before vacating the role in October.
UK Border Force increases e-passport gate use
Use of the gates by the UK Border Force has increased in recent years. Bolt said: “They have become a key component of the UK Border Force’s strategy for managing Britain’s borders.”
However, several MPs and migrants’ rights groups have raised concerns about the use of e-passport gates alongside increasingly stringent documentary requirements for people having to prove that they have the right to live, work and access public services in the UK.
The gates do have some benefits, with the Home Office able to grant visa-free UK entry to citizens from seven countries who visit Britain for up to six months – known as B5JSSK nationals, according to a report published by PublicTechnology.net
The seven countries are:
Nationals of these countries do not require their passport to be stamped or any other type of documentation proving their right to stay in the UK for a maximum of six months.
However, the extension of visa-free entry to several countries sparked concerns among landlord groups who argued that it would make it difficult for them to verify whether potential tenants had the right to rent property in the UK. Landlords face heavy fines for renting to migrants without the right to rent in Britain.
Lack of documentation confirming UK visa status
The lack of physical documentation issued to EU nationals applying for UK settled status has raised concerns among MPs and migrants’ groups. Future plans to switch to a digital only system without any paperwork has also sparked fears.
Bolt said: “I’m looking for evidence on the extension of e-passport gate use to B5JSSK nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the US in 2019, as well as the impact on extending their use to 12-17 year olds in 2015.”
The Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration also wants evidence on how the decision not to stamp passports upon UK entry has affected individuals who must be able to prove their UK immigration status in order to rent property and use public services.
Bolt’s investigation will also assess how the same decision has affected those who use e-passport gates by mistake, including short-term international students.
Additional evidence is required concerning how easy the gates are to use, their ability to identify an attempt to bypass passport control, and the measures UK Border Force has put in place to identify and protect vulnerable travellers using the gates.
People can submit evidence via the UK government website.
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