§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time taken to renew a one year student visa was in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [23632]
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§ Angela EagleInformation about average waiting times for student applications is not held centrally and could be obtained only by scrutinising individual case files, at disproportionate cost. We aim to decide 70 per cent, of new general and settlement applications within three weeks but at present it is taking up to eight weeks on average to consider new straightforward applications. The reasons for this are (i) the exceptionally high number of new applications received this year, especially in recent months; and (ii) process changes that are being introduced. We are working to reduce this to three weeks or less as soon as possible.
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to enable individuals to retain their passports while their visa renewal applications are being processed. [23634]
§ Angela EagleThere are no plans to change the existing procedures requiring overseas nationals to provide their passports when applying for extensions of stay in the United Kingdom. But everything possible will be done to reduce the time scales for dealing with such applications and to improve the arrangements for handling applicants' passports while their applications are pending.