§ Lorna FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance applications for indefinite leave to remain from Islamabad have been made in each year since 1992. [90981]
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§ Mr. HoonThe following are the figures requested:
Year Settlement applications 1994 6,973 1995 7,869 1996 7,988 1997 9,183 1998 10,837 Notes:
1. The figures relate to applications in Islamabad for settlement entry clearance. The term 'Indefinite leave to remain' refers to the removal of conditions of entry by the Home Office after an individual subject to immigration control has spent a qualifying period in the UK.
2. Information for 1992 and 1993 is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
3. Further figures on settlement applications for the years 1994–98 inclusive can be obtained from the Global Entry Clearance Statistics, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.
§ Lorna FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the average turn-round time for processing applications for(a) visit visas and (b) marriage visas from Islamabad has changed over the last five years. [90974]
§ Mr. HoonNon-settlement visa applicants dealt with at Tier 1 or 2 will normally have their application processed within 24 hours. The percentage of visa applicants dealt with at Tier 1 and 2 has risen from 52 per cent. in 1994 to 54 per cent. in May 1999. Only those processed at Tier 3 (non-settlement) or Tier 4 (settlement) will be recalled at a later date for interview. Waiting times for these two tiers have been collated only since 1996 and are as follows:
Tier 3 (non-settlement) Date Waiting time (days) At 31 December 1996 3 At 31 December 1997 11 At 31 December 1998 18
Tier 4 (settlement) Waiting time (months) Date Queue 2 Queue 3 At 31 December 1996 4 6 At 31 December 1997 4 5 At 31 December 1998 6 7 Note:
Settlement applications in Islamabad are dealt with in four queues:
Ql: Right of Abode claimants, dependent relatives over 65, special compassionate cases.
Q2: Spouses, children under 18.
Q3: Fiance(e)s, other categories.
Q4: Re-applicants.
Persons applying for settlement in UK in order to join a spouse or parent are dealt with at queue 2; those coming to the UK to marry and settle are dealt with in queue 3. The latter also includes other visa applicants and is not solely for the categories mentioned. Waiting times fluctuate during the year. Further details on waiting times are obtainable from the Global Entry Clearance Statistics, copies of which are held in the House of Commons Library.
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§ Lorna FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visitor's visas have been(a) made and (b) granted in each year since 1992; and how many in each year were from Islamabad. [90980]
§ Mr. HoonThe following are the figures requested:
Worldwide Islambad Received Issued Received Issued 1994 1,086,381 980,054 35,472 25,187 1995 1,167,295 1,042,667 35,597 22,130 1996 1,372,056 1,240,341 31,354 19,730 1997 1,372,314 1,243,987 23,828 14,726 1998 1,397,431 1,246,034 38,250 26,737 Note:
1. Information for 1992 and 1993 is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Further figures on non-settlement applications for the years 1994–98 inclusive can be obtained from the Global Entry Clearance Statistics, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.