Immigration news

Sanwar Ali: additional comments and reporting Despite the coronavirus pandemic, many US consulates and embassies around the world have resumed the processing of E2 visa applications and other US visa types.

A new Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) has been appointed for a three-year term it has been announced. David Neal will replace David Bolt and will begin his appointment on Monday, 22 March. UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, welcomed Neal’s appointment.

 

The US Department of State (DoS) has announced the extension of its expanded US visa interview waiver eligibility policy for people applying for a non-immigrant visa in the same classification. The extension runs until December 31, 2021.

 

It’s understood that under the expanded policy, non-immigrant visa applicants whose visas expire within four years of applying for a new visa, will be eligible for an interview waiver. Previously, an interview waiver was only available to those whose non-immigrant US visa expired within two years.

Amid a surge in the number of migrants putting pressure on processing systems at the US border with Mexico, the Biden administration has called in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ease the strain. FEMA normally deals with major emergencies and natural disasters.

 

Top NHS officials have warned that UK immigration policy will lead to another Windrush scandal as rising numbers of foreign senior doctors are being forced to quit their jobs. Senior clinicians are being forced to leave the UK and return home to care for parents who are prohibited from coming to Britain by strict immigration rules.

 

Despite the NHS being under heavy strain amid the coronavirus pandemic, consultants, GPs and health workers told iNews that they are leaving the UK because of ‘harsh and inhumane’ immigration rules that affect adult dependent relatives (ADRs). 

The failure of technology used by UK immigration at British borders have resulted in huge costs, according to MPs. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) blasted the Home Office after a plan to upgrade computer systems was delayed by three years. The PAC said: “The Home Office has a miserable record of failing to deliver on hugely expensive digital programmes.”

 

“These programmes fail to deliver for the taxpayer or border security because of a lack of effective leadership, management and oversight,” the PAC added.