Letter from Audrey Wise, MP to Entry Clearance
Officer, Bombay 13 January 1998
Applicant: Mrs Adam
Sponsor: Mr Bapu
I am writing on behalf of my constituent, Mr
Bapu of . . .. My constituent wants his mother to come to the
UK for a visit. She has applied before but unfortunately was turned
down.
The original ECO believed that Mr Bapu as his
mother's eldest sone he was the head of the family with a special
responsibility to look after his mother. I explained that while
Mr Bapu was his mother's eldest, his father had another son from
a previous marriage who was the head of the family. The ECO conceded
this.
The ECO was also concerned that Mr Bapu was
supporting his mother, but this was only financial support made
on "five or six" occasions, and does not mean that Mrs
Adam was mainly, or even significantly, dependent on her son in
the UK. These financial gifts are the sort often given by a son
to his mother and can only point to the genuineness of the relationship
and not to any intention to remain in the UK indefinitely.
The ECO stated that he considered that Mrs Adam
was from a modest background. In fact the family in India make
a good income from land and from a shop. I have explained to my
constituent that it is important that they bring all the information
that they can about the family's income in India, which I understand
may not have been the case with the first application. Suffice
to say that the income is sufficient for the family's needs.
There was also an area of some confusion over
the ownership of a shop by Mrs Adam's sons. The family tells me
that Mrs Adam was talking about one of her sons in India, while
the ECO took it as meaning the sponsor in the UK. Because the
sponsor's papers made no mention of any shop the ECO gave this
as a reason for refusing the application. I believe that if there
was any intention to lie on Mrs Adam's part then the family would
have made sure that the papers did not contradict what Mrs Adam
said. I therefore believe that Mrs Adam should be taken at her
word that she was referring to one of her sons in India.
Mrs Adam has five sons in India and around 15
grandchildren. They live in three houses as part of one extended
family. It is the family in India that care for and support Mrs
Adam: India is clearly her home and she has never in fact been
to the UK. Mrs Adam last saw Mr Bapu quite some time ago when
he visited India with his family. Nevertheless the family has
kept in touch and remains close. Mr Bapu is married with two children
(a son aged 21, and a daughter aged 11). The daughter was very
young when she last saw her grandmother. My constituent very much
wants his mother to come to the UK so that she can see where the
family live and so that she can see her grandchildren. I think
that this is a very reasonable wish, and that this is a genuine
visit. I am sure that you will agree that this is the case, and
issue Mrs Adam with a visa.
CASE OF MR ALI
Notes on Mr Ali. Husband visa. (Sponsor Mrs Ali)
Islamabad.
Just a typical case illustrating rather slow
handling. This is after abolition of Primary Purpose Rule therefore
most complications removed.
April 1997—application made.
August 1997—interviewed.
9 October 1997 I wrote to Visa Unit (enclosed).
28 October 1997 Visa Unit replied saying extra documents
received 16 September, but more requested 1 October.
14 November I wrote to Visa Unit, asking what documents
still needed.
3 December I wrote to Visa Unit saying all documents
sent by constituent a month ago.
15 December Visa Unit replied saying visa being granted.
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