§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what, at 1 October, was the average waiting time for(a) visas and (b) interviews relating to visa applications in respect of United Kingdom posts at (i) Bombay, (ii) Islamabad, (iii) New Delhi, (iv) Calcutta, (v) Karachi, (vi) Dhaka, (vii) Washington, (viii) New York, (ix) Da-es-Salaam, (x) Nairobi and (xi) Lagos. [14237]
§ Mr. FatchettEntry clearance posts in the Indian sub-continent receive a heavy volume of applications to join families in the United Kingdom. People applying for an indefinite stay, known as "settlement", are divided into separate queues for interview. This allows posts to deal more quickly with those who may have a claim to compassionate treatment.
The information my hon. Friend requested is as follows:
Post Waiting time for a straight forward visit application Waiting time if an interview is required for a visit visa Waiting time for a settlement interview Bombay same day same day Q1 same day Q2 2 months Q3 2 months Q4 5 months Islamabad same day 22 days Q1 5 moths Q2 5 months Q3 6 months Q4 9 months New Delhi same day same day Q1 same day Q2 2.5 months Q3 3.5 months Q4 4.5 months Calcutta same day 5 days 7 days Karachi same day 15 days 9 weeks Dhaka same day same day Q1 3 months Q2 3 months Q3 3 months Q4 9.5 months Washington same day 1 day 2days New York same day 4 days same day Dar-es-Salaam same day 2-3 days 2-3 days Nairobi same day 6 days 24 days Lagos same day 11 days 5 months The queue groupings are:
Q1-Spouses and children under 18 of British citizens; elderly relatives; (maximum waiting time-03 months).
Q2-Spouses and children of non-British citizens; (maximum waiting time-3 months).
Q3-Fiance(e)s and other first time applicants (maximum waiting time-6 months).
Q4-Re-applicants (maximum waiting time-9 months).