NRI Labour MP Keith Vaz for right to appeal for family visitor visas in UK

LONDON: Leading NRI Labour MP Keith Vaz has cautioned the British government against going ahead with its leaked plans to do away with the right of appeal for family visitor visas, saying such a move would affect millions of families and Britain's relations with its partners abroad.

His comments came after a leaked Home Office document showed plans to scrap the right of appeal for more than 80,000 relatives of British families who are refused visas to visit them each year.

In a statement, Vaz, the Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "Each year hundreds of relatives of British South Asians are granted visas to celebrate weddings, attend funerals, and visit their loved ones".

"Whilst I understand the Government intention to cut immigration, a policy restricting the numbers of family visitors would be unfounded. Family visit visas are only valid for six months, after which the relative must return home and 36 per cent are granted on appeal," Vaz said.

The lawmaker called on the government to think carefully before making a decision that affects millions of families in the UK and Britain's relations with her partners abroad and to allow the Home Affairs Select Committee the time to consider this matter carefully.

More than 420,000 visa applications were made for temporary visits by close relatives of British families in 2010 and more than 36 per cent of those who appealed were subsequently granted visas.

Vaz said "the fact that 36 per cent of the decisions are reversed on appeal would indicate that decision making needs to be improved rather than the right of appeal removed".

He said the decision is especially worrying in light of the report on the Pakistan visa section published by the Independent Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency last year which heavily criticised decision making and highlighted that in the third quarter of 2009-10, only 25 per cent of appeals were dismissed.