MP tackles visa and immigration delays

Paul Rowen MP

Delays in visa and immigration applications have been highlighted by the Rochdale MP as a “danger to security."

Paul Rowen questioned a Home Office Minister in the House of Commons about the reduction in the number of diplomatic posts involved in processing applications, leading to severe delays.

He said: “I have been dealing with a lot of cases in Rochdale recently where visa processing times have been severely delayed by the reduction in diplomatic posts

“Evidence to support applications is lost due to the often huge distances between the applicant and the appropriate diplomat.

The Home Office claims that this is being done for security reasons but I’d argue that the net affect of these delays is doing the exact opposite.

“I have put further questions to the Home Office to find out exactly how much delay has been introduced by this change to the visa system.

"These include a detailed analysis of visa processing times following the reduction in diplomatic posts.

“All we hear from the Government is the need to tackle immigrations and visas head on, evidence suggests quite the opposite.”