Legal action threat to Home Office over UK visa application delay

Groups bringing legal action against the government over “unreasonable” Homes for Ukraine delays have accused it of misleading refugees, UK sponsors and MPS over the progress of visa applications.

Would-be hosts have sent a legal letter to the Home Office over “unexpected, unexplained and unreasonable” delays in processing visa applications made in March.

They suggest either the Home Office may be prioritising more recent, simpler applications to “boost” the numbers, and then “boast” about these, or that the policy is “just so incoherent and disorganised” that there is no pretence of processing claims chronologically.

Other areas of concern include MPS being told visas in certain cases have been granted when this is not the case, and sponsors being told cases

will be expedited when they have not been. They

also say some visas and permission-to-travel letters have been granted, but refugees have not been informed or the

documents have not been sent or made available.

On Friday the groups sent a pre-action letter informing the Home Office and government legal department they may apply for a judicial review of the policies.

When the legal action was initially announced earlier last week, the government said it had streamlined the visa system, simplified forms and boosted staff numbers, and it is now “processing visas as quickly as they come in”.

The groups bringing the action are Vigil 4 Visas and Taking Action Over The Homes For Ukraine Visa Delays, and they are represented by barrister Amanda Jones.

The groups have requested a response by 4pm today.