Immigration Applications (Hansard, 20 April 1994)

§ Mr. Madden
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on an application made by Mr. Gulnamaz, ref: CON/3798, to the United Kingdom post in Islamabad; when the result of a DNA test required to consider the application by Mr. Gulnamaz was received by the post; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
Mr. Gulnamaz Din's most recent application for a British passport was refused and his fee refunded on 30 March 1993.
The British High Commission in Islamabad understands that Mr. Gulnamaz has opted for DNA testing and has an appointment to give a blood sample on 15 May. In the meantime, he will need to reapply for a passport. This can then be considered in the light of the test results. As explained in my letter of 7 May 1993, however, DNA testing cannot establish that Mr. Gulnamaz's claimed parents were married at the time of his birth. Mr. Gulnamaz's elegibility for British nationality is dependent on his legitimate descent from his claimed father.

§ Mr. Madden
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when decisions are to be taken by the United Kingdom post in Islamabad on the applications, ref: IMM/4343, of Sabreen Jan, date of birth 13 November 1990, Amina Bibi, date of birth 1 April 1988 and Muchtaq Ahmed date of birth 15 December 1986 to enter the United Kingdom; when these children took DNA tests; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
DNA test results in respect of Sabreen Jan, Amina Bibi and Mushtaq Ali were received by the British High Commission in Islamabad on 16 July 1993. It was then necessary for the High Commission to ask the children's father, Mohammed Ishaq, for information about his domicile in order to ascertain whether the children had a claim to British nationality by descent from him.
He completed the domicile questionnaire on 17 January 1994 and this was then sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for consideration. Although clarification of some points is needed, sufficient information is available for the High Commission to issue restricted-validity passports to the children. This will enable them to travel while the remaining details are resolved.

§ Mr. Madden
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on the application made by Mukhtaj Bibi, who was born on 1 November 1972, ref: IMM 67849, to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Lennox Boyd
In the absence of any information about this case, I have asked the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to let the hon. Member have a substantive reply in due course.