ANNEX B
HANDLING OF EC APPLICATIONS AT OVERSEAS POSTS:
THE TRIAGE SYSTEM
1. The procedures for handling Entry Clearance
applications at overseas Posts are as follows:
Preliminary Assessment—or "pre-sift"
2. At certain posts queuing applicants are seen
initially by an ECO. If they do not have the necessary documentation
or they appear very unlikely to qualify for a visa they are invited,
before a fee is paid, not to proceed with their application.
If the applicant withdraws, the ECO provides a letter explaining
that the application has not been refused. Applicants are entitled
to proceed with the application despite advice or to return at
a later date. Forty posts operate a pre-sift. Two point seventy-seven
per cent of applicants withdrew at the pre-sift stage in 1996.
Tier 1
3. After this initial assessment fees are collected
and applications move to the Tier 1 stage. An ECO will examine
the papers and if satisfied will authorise a visa for collection
later that day or early the following day. If necessary an ECO
may ask one or two questions to clear up minor points, but if
the ECO has doubts s/he will move the applicant to a Tier 2 or
Tier 3 interview (see below). An ECO has a target time of three
minutes for dealing with a Tier 1 application. In 1997 69.0 per
cent of total applications were dealt with at Tier 1.
Tier 2
4. This involves a secondary examination at
the counter of less straightforward applications, which are nevertheless
likely to result in the issue of a visa. Target time for Tier
2 is 10 minutes in total. In 1997 18.4 per cent of all applications
were dealt with at Tier 2.
Tier 3
5. Visit applications which the ECO believes
may lead to a refusal are handled at Tier 3. An interview is scheduled
with the applicant within a target time of 10 working days. Questions
and answers are recorded in writing. The target time for Tier
3 interviews is 30 minutes. In 1997 9.8 per cent of visit applications
were dealt with at Tier 3; 53.71 per cent of them were refused.
Paragraphs 31-35 contain more detail of action in case of refusals.
6. Posts are required to alert MVD if the waiting
time for Tier 3 interviews extends beyond 10 days. If temporary
reinforcement staff are available, they will be despatched to
post to help bring the queue back within the 10 day target.
Tier 4
7. All settlement applications are dealt with
at Tier 4 level. These involve an interview which is scheduled
as quickly as possible. Because of the volume of settlement applications
in certain posts in the Indian sub-continent, the Tier 4 queue
at these is divided into four sub-queues with different waiting
time targets. These are:
Queue 1: Right of Abode claimants; dependent
relatives over 65; special compassionate cases: three month maximum
waiting time.
Queue 2: Spouses, children under 18:
three month maximum waiting time.
Queue 3: Fiancé(e)s, other settlement
categories: six months maximum waiting time.
Queue 4: Re-applications: nine months
waiting time.
Details of actual waiting times at major posts
in the Indian sub-Continent, as at 31 December, are at Annex
C.
Migration and Visa Division
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
January 1998
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