UK accepts error after hopeful migrants complain

[Raghu]

UK accepts error after hopeful migrants complain


TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2005 10:16:45 PM ]
PAUL JOHN

VADODARA: For the past one month, the UK home office website has been misleading a number of highly-skilled migration programme (HSMP) applicants whose cases are pending since June, 2004. The website stated that all applications up to July 12, 2004 had been processed. When many applicants, who had applied before this date, did not receive a reply, they complained to the officials. After this, an official clarification was shot off by the work permits department on Friday, stating that "there was an error in the website figures" and that applicants should read July 12, 2004 as June 12, 2004.


Customer service adviser Peter Wilkinson of the home office, in an official communication, "apologised" for the confusion and stated that "the website providers have been made aware of the error and will correct the information."

"It is surprising how the UK home office could not figure out the error. We have been writing to them practically everyday and reminding them of the July 12 error. But there was no reply," says immigration consultant Sandeep Jani.

"When we contact the home office in London, we are told that applications are being processed. I have had a harrowing experience for the last one month. Everyday my clients demanded an answer," says immigration consultant Sandeep Jani.

Vipul Mehta, a Mumbai-based HSMP consultant, has around 150 cases pending since June 2004. "I was shocked to see the July 2004 processing date as most of the June applicants had not received any replies from the home office"

"The problem of the backlog was imminent as there was almost a 100 per cent rise in the number of applicants in the HSMP category in eight months between November 2003 and June 2004 over the previous figures recorded between January 2002 and October 2003. Besides, the home office had set up a new team to handle cases that appeared between October 2004 and March 2005," says Mehta.

Dhaval Patel, who had applied for the HSMP on June 29, 2004 got a letter from the home office recently stating, "I can confirm that your application has been allocated to a case worker but as of yet has not been processed. I hope this is helpful."

"I was worried about my original documents. I got relieved after I came to know about the clarification," says Dhaval. The home office, in its March newsletter, claims that the current efficiency level of the department with regard to the clearance of cases for the month of February this year stands at 58 per cent of the applications within four weeks and 85 per cent cases in 13 weeks.

Interestingly, the home office had received only 1,150 HSMP applications in 22 months between January 2002 and October 2003. Of these, as many as 641 cases were accepted. Between seven months from November 2003 to June 2004, the numbers more than trebled. As many as 3,833 applications were received, but only 600 were accepted. From an acceptance rate of 56 per cent in 2002-03, it fell to a measly 16 per cent in 2003-04.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/arti ... 073769.cms

[EdgeHillMole]

Terrific article. Thanks for sharing.

Which now leaves everyone with the following question:

If HO admits to making a mistake, and admits that July applications have not yet been processed,

Why then does the website still show the July 12th date?

Usually when people make a 'mistake' and admit it to the media, they fix it right away, no?:?

[dhavaluk]

dear frineds,

THere is absolutely not the case, as i have recievd a mail stating they are "currently working ont he applications recievd in the week starting 12th June", but this is not the truth, as 12th June was sturday adn no week in UK at least can start onm Saturday.

HEre they are just trying to hide their inefficiency by makign this false statement. THis must be brought to media's notice if that media is bold enough to cast this article (where they have mis-spelled my name), i am not Dhaval Patel, as they have picked my wordings and mail reply which i had postend on this same forum.