HC Deb 04 April 2000 vol 347 cc440-5W
Mr. Godsiff

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (1) nationals of(a) Bangladesh, (b) Belarus, (c) Benin, (d) Bhutan, (e) Bulgaria, (f) Burundi and (g) Cambodia applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116996]

(2) nationals of (a) the Dominican Republic, (b) Ecuador, (c) Egypt, (d) Eritrea, (e) Fiji, (f) Gabon and (g) Gambia applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116994]

(3) nationals of (a) Morocco, (b) Mozambique, (c) Nepal, (d) Pakistan, (e) Peru, (f) the Phillippines and (g) Romania applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116991]

(4) nationals of (a) Cameroon, (b) the Central African Republic, (c) Chad, (d) China, (e) Colombia, (f) the Congo and (g) Djibouti applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116995]

(5) nationals of (a) Afghanistan, (b) Albania, (c) Algeria, (d) Angola, (e) Armenia, (f) Azerbaijan and (g) Bahrain applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116997]

(6) nationals of (a) Russia, (b) Rwanda, (c) Saudi Arabia, (d) Senegal, (e) Sierra Leone, (f) Somalia, and (g) Sri Lanka applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116989]

(7) nationals of (a) Yugoslavia, (b) Ukraine, (c) Vietnam and (d) Yemen, applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116980]

(8) nationals of (a) Liberia, (b) Libya, (c) Macedonia, (d) Madagascar, (e) the Maldives, (f) Moldova and (g) Mongolia applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116990]

(9) nationals of (a) Georgia, (b) Ghana, (c) Guyana, (d) Haiti, (e) India, (f) Indonesia and (g) Iran applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116993]

(10) Zambian nationals applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [116981]

(11) nationals of (a) the Sudan, (b) Syria, (c) Taiwan, (d) Tanzania, (e) Thailand, (f) Tunisia and (g) Turkey applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum; [16979]

(12) nationals of (a) Iraq, (b) Ivory Coast, (c) Jordan, (d) Kenya, (e) Kuwait, (f) Laos and (g) Lebanon applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications, in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before their visa expired; and how many applied (a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum. [116992]

Mrs. Roche

The available information is given in the tables.

Entry clearance data are available by country of application only, which is not necessarily the country of the applicant's nationality. There were no entry clearance issuing posts in Afghanistan, Benin, Bhutan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gabon, Haiti, Iraq, Laos, Maldives, Moldova, Rwanda, Somalia and Sierra Leone in 1998 and 1999. Residents of these countries have to apply elsewhere. The entry clearance issuing post in Sudan was re-opened in 1999.

No data are available on the numbers of persons who return to their country of nationality before their leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom expires.

Information is not available on the number of holders of visas for temporary purposes who apply for asylum or for settlement. The information given in Table 2 on grants of settlement includes persons who entered the United Kingdom with an entry clearance leading to settlement; and the data on asylum applications and those who entered by clandestine means include persons who held no entry clearance.

Table 1: Applications for entry clearance for temporary purposes, and numbers issued 1998–99 1
Applications received Entry clearances issued
Country of application 1998 1999 1998 1999
Albania 200 1,680 240 1,320
Algeria 3,500 3,370 3,500 3,370
Angola 1,600 1,740 1,570 1,440
Armenia 1,020 960 850 940
Azerbaijan 3,190 2,700 3,170 2,550
Bahrain 13,150 11,000 13,090 11,720
Bangladesh 12,820 14,980 9,820 11,140
Belarus 7,100 7,100 6,620 6,950
Bulgaria 17,130 21,000 15,790 19,390
Cameroon 2,050 2,020 1,540 1,600
China 38,900 47,230 2 39,460
Colombia 20,550 16,930 19,470 15,640
Congo Democratic Republic4 650 2 470 2
Dominican Republic 1,110 1,370 1,010 1,310
Ecuador 3,000 1,980 2,800 1,710
Egypt 29,440 30,410 28,820 29,970
Ethiopia 3,740 3,730 3,100 2,890
Fiji 720 2 700 2
Gambia 2,980 3,630 2,340 2,680
Georgia 1,900 2— 1,880 2
Ghana 22,160 27,460 16,130 20,980
Guyana 1,470 1,450 1,240 1,220
India 142,800 170,050 129,560 152,040
Indonesia 8,680 18,370 8,390 17,540
Iran 23,740 2 21,970 2
Ivory Coast 2,300 2,110 1,970 2,210
Jordan 8,900 8,450 8,920 8,240
Kenya 16,600 17,380 14,750 13,740
Kuwait 42,740 36,060 42,500 32,230
Lebanon 7,430 7,380 7,070 7,070
Libya 820 1,390 770 1,310
Macedonia 420 720 420 720
Madagascar 290 350 280 320
Mongolia 810 900 710 740
Morocco 7,260 6,870 6,380 6,160
Mozambique 790 700 750 570
Nepal 3,780 4,070 2,920 3,060
Pakistan 65,790 70,260 49,010 47,970
Peru 3,840 3,580 3,680 3,570
Philippines 17,010 19,060 14,540 17,750
Romania 23,030 21,860 20,680 19,840
Russia 94,180 69,460 89,630 66,500
Rwanda 100 110 100 110
Saudi Arabia 57,630 56,680 55,300 53,440
Senegal 1,200 1,380 1,030 1,130
Sri Lanka 14,000 17,770 12,710 15,220
Sudan 3 1,470 3 1,160
Syria 5,820 2 5,320 2
Taiwan 41,060 42,990 41,060 42,990
Tanzania 8,870 9,460 7,180 6,860
Thailand 20,830 28,090 18,460 25,650
Tunisia 7,250 7,070 5,880 5,990
Turkey 66,850 62,510 61,280 43,510
Ukraine 23,560 22,520 20,850 18,890
Vietnam 2,080 1,690 1,840 1,380
Yemen 3,720 3,780 3,300 3,360
Yugoslavia 14,690 2,660 14,130 2,540
Zambia 4,340 4,620 4,120 4,390
1 1999 data are provisional
2 Not available
3 Not applicable (no entry clearance facilities in that country)
4 Formerly Zaire

Table 2: Grants of settlement and applications for asylum 1998–99 5
Grants of settlement 1,2 Applications 4 for asylum
Nationality 1998 1999 1998 1999
Afghanistan 190 420 2,395 3,975
Albania 50 110 560 1,310
Algeria 700 990 1,260 1,385
Angola 70 450 150 545
Armenia 6 30 60 95
Azerbaijan 6 10 20 50
Bahrain 10 40 5 10
Bangladesh 3,580 3,240 460 530
Belarus 20 30 110 600
Benin 6 10 5 5
Bhutan 6 6 45 60
Bulgaria 180 270 165 80
Burundi 30 60 215 780
Cambodia 6 10 * 5
Cameroon 90 130 95 245
Central African Republic 0 0 * *
Chad 0 6 10 70
China 1,410 1,400 1,925 2,625
Colombia 330 530 425 1,000
Congo 10 40 150 450
Congo Democratic Republic8 110 2,010 660 1,240
Djibouti 6 30 15 5
Dominican Republic 40 30 7 7
Ecuador 40 80 280 610
Egypt 360 380 45 55
Eritrea 30 170 345 565
Ethiopia 180 2,120 345 455
Fiji 30 20 * 0
Gabon 6 6 * *
Gambia 140 140 45 30
Georgia 10 30 15 70
Ghana 1,420 3,280 225 195
Guyana 170 120 5 5
Haiti 10 6 0 0
India 5,130 6,000 1,030 1,365
Indonesia 110 200 265 575
Iran 850 1,430 745 1,320
Iraq 1,490 1,970 1,295 1,800
Ivory Coast 80 290 95 190
Jordan 130 120 30 20
Kenya 450 580 885 485
Kuwait 60 50 20 25
Laos 6 6 0 0
Lebanon 590 740 155 240
Liberia 80 70 70 65
Libya 160 150 115 115
Macedonia 10 40 50 90
Madagascar 10 6 * *
Maldives 6 6 5 5
Moldova 6 10 25 180
Mongolia 10 10 50 75
Morocco 420 420 25 20
Mozambique 10 20 5 0
Nepal 90 80 105 230
Pakistan 7,220 11,700 1,975 2,615
Peru 100 130 5 20
Philippines 890 1,140 35 10
Romania 240 280 1,015 1,985
Russia3 850 850 185 685
Rwanda 60 70 280 820
Saudi Arabia 50 50 5 10
Senegal 10 20 5 5
Sierra Leone 510 920 565 1,125
Somalia 2,740 3,030 4,685 7,495
Sri Lanka 1,960 5,100 3,505 5,130
Sudan 450 510 250 280
Syria 110 130 65 95
Taiwan 100 120 5 5
Tanzania 200 210 80 80
Thailand 500 800 20 15
Tunisia 110 150 20 20
Turkey 2,270 4,850 2,015 2,850
Ukraine 140 190 370 775
Vietnam 100 120 35 105
Table 2: Grants of settlement and applications for asylum 1998–99 5
Grants of settlement 1.2 Applications 4 for asylum
Nationality 1998 1999 1998 1999
Yemen 190 230 35 90
Former Yugoslavia 850 4,050 7,980 14,180
Zambia 200 230 25 20
1 Excluding persons given indefinite leave to enter
2 All settlement data are rounded to three significant figures or to the nearest 10 if less than 1,000
3 Russia includes holders of Soviet Union passports
4 Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2, and exclude dependants
5 1999 data are provisional
6 Negligible (i.e. five or fewer)
7 Not available
8 Formerly Zaire