Response Published
Inspection report on an interim re-inspection of family reunion, July 2017
Home Office response: 5 accepted.
5 recommendations
5 accepted
Recommendations
Recommendation 1
Accepted
Dedicate staffing resource to urgently address the work in progress (WIP), including the appeals WIP, prioritising applications from children separated from both parents.
Home Office accepted:
The Home Office has already undertaken a review of its resourcing for consideration of Family Reunion visa applications and is in the process of uplifting the number of decision makers to address the WIP including on appeals. An initial process review has been undertaken, with actions documented to ensure delivery against milestones.
Recommendation 2
Accepted
Introduce a criteria for expediting applications based on vulnerability.
Home Office accepted:
We are undertaking work in this area, with a view to outlining criteria for expedition of applications into forthcoming family reunion policy guidance.
Recommendation 3
Accepted
To increase efficiency and streamline allocation of decisions, implement a mechanism to triage family reunion applications after biometrics have been submitted and before the decision-making stage.
Home Office accepted:
A dedicated team whose function will be to review the WIP is being created. Going forward, this team’s function will be to ensure that applications from unaccompanied children and the most vulnerable people are prioritised. The team will also ensure that decision makers have the correct information to enable them to make prompt decisions.
Recommendation 4
Accepted
In consultation with decision team managers (DTM), conduct a review of the DTM role and responsibilities.
Home Office accepted:
As a result of the reviews, we have undertaken a restructure of the decision team manager role, forming separate technical specialist and line manager capability to specialise as appropriate in this area. The restructure, and formation of a new pre-decision case-working team, will provide focus on specific case-working tasks, which were previously undertaken by the decision team managers.
Recommendation 5
Accepted
Review progress on recommendations two to four from ICIBI’s 2019 inspection of family reunion applications (in the context of the new Croydon team), with a view to implementing them as soon as possible: