§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the maximum, minimum and average periods between the receipt of a first application for settlement at the post in Dhaka and the decision on whether or not to grant entry clearance.
§ Mr. EggarIn straightforward cases the minimum time between first application and a decision is currently three to four months for those in queue 1—priority cases. For straightforward cases in queue 2—spouse and children—and queue 3—fiance(e)s—the period is six months. In cases where further local inquiries or reference to the Home Office have to be made, the time taken to resolve these cases varies according to the circumstances of each individual case. Average times could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Swedish consulate in Iran still accepts applications for entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. EggarThe British Interests Section of the Royal Swedish embassy in Tehran still accepts such applications, giving priority to urgent and compassionate cases. However, such is the demand for non-urgent, private visit visas that the waiting list for interview for applicants in that category currently extends to the end of March.