§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the various types of British entry visas which are available for foreign nationals and their duration and cost, respectively.
§ Mr. WaldegraveListed below are the various types of entry clearance available to Foreign and Commonwealth nationals and their costs:
£ Visitor, single entry 20 Visitor, double entry 30 Visitor, multiple entry 44 Settlement and other long-term entry clearance 60 Single and double-entry clearances are normally valid for presentation within six months of the date of issue, multiple entry within two years.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry visas of each type were issued in 1987; what was the total revenue, respectively; and what contribution this made to costs of issue.
§ Mr. WaldegraveA breakdown by type of entry clearances issued overseas is not available for 1987 and 1988 but will be from 1989 onwards. In total 974,312 entry clearances were issued in 1987, including those issued on behalf of the dependent territories and some independent Commonwealth countries.
All the information on reveune and costs is not yet available but we will write to the hon. Member when it is.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average length of time
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1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 United Kingdom-based Staff1 (a) Bombay 6 6 7 6 12 13.25 (b) New Delhi 5 6 6 7 13 17 (c) Karachi 3 3 3 1.45 10.45 9.45 (d) Islamabad 25 25 25 27.15 31.15 35.15 (e) Calcutta 1 1 1 1 2.90 1.90 Locally Engaged Staff1 currently taken to prepare explanatory statements following refusal of entry clearance in (a) Bombay, (b) New Dehli, (c) Karachi, (d) Islamabhad, (e) Dar-Es-Salam and (f) Nairobi.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe information sought has been requested from the posts concerned and the hon. Member will receive a letter as soon as possible.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current length of queues for visitors visas in terms of(a) numbers of people and (b) estimated length of time required to process these applications for each of the years 1980 to 1987 inclusive, and for each month of 1988.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThere are normally no queues for visit-visa applicants applying in their own country, and the large majority are processed speedily. Where a more detailed interview is necessary it can be arranged on the same day at some posts and within three days at most others; though at some posts this period could extend at times of peak demand during the busy summer months.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the number of staff employed in the visa section of posts in(a) Bombay, (b) New Delhi, (c) Karachi, (d) Islamabad and (e) Calcutta, for each year from 1980 to 1987, inclusive and for each month of 1988.
§ Mr. WaldegraveDetails of the number of established posts in the visa section of our posts at Bombay, New Delhi, Karachi, Islamabad and Calcutta for each year from 1982 to 1987 inclusive are given in the following table. Similar information for previous years is held in a different, non-computerised, format, and could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.
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1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 (a) Bombay 13 13 14 14 22 25 (b) New Delhi 12 12 11 11 22 33 (c) Karachi 3.75 3.75 3.75 3.25 15 15 (d) Islamabad 24 22 22 22 38 43 (e) Calcutta 2.10 2.10 2.10 2.10 4.25 4.25 Note
1 The figures above are based on the staff establishment at the end of each year and do not therefore include United Kingdom-based or locally engaged seasonal reinforcement. Details of such reinforcement could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.
For 1988, details of the number of established posts in the visa section of the posts are given in the table with United Kingdom-based seasonal reinforcement shown in brackets. Details of locally engaged seasonal reinforcement are not readily available and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
1988 United Kingdom-based Locally engaged (a) Bombay 113.25 (+1) 25.0 (b) New Delhi 117 (+1) 35.0 (c) Karachi 9.45 17.0 (d) Islamabad 33.15 62.0 (e) Calcutta 21.90 (+1) 2.5 Notes
1 For period April-September 1988.
2 For period April-October 1988.
In both tables, figures shown on a decimal basis indicate the deployment of staff (also working elsewhere in the post) on a part-time basis in the visa section.