Global Visa Statistics

I have just spotted the Global Visa Statistics on the FCO website. Click here to download a copy.

Massive amount of information there.

Cheers for posing that John. Very interesting.

Yes, and showing significant differences in Settlement visa rejection rates .... in the USA from 1% to 3% .... to 15% in Bangkok, Thailand ..... to 27% in Manila, Philippines .... to 64% in Kingston, Jamaica .... etc etc

I was interested to see that BHC Canberra rejected 4 out of over 3,500 settlement applications in the reported time period.

I guess this really highlights the importance of credibility in applications. I.e. if no one in the Visa section could believe you would want to come to the UK from Australia for any reason other than your family why would they doubt you application. Where there is possibly a huge improvement in quality of life from the application coutry to the UK there is much more suspicion.

Jon_H, interesting you mention 'credibility' - so absolutely nothing to do with the fact that majority of Australian applicants are white?? Australians are not innocent when it comes to breaking British Immigration rules and if I'm not wrong, they form one of the biggest group of nationalities overstaying in the UK, so I cannot help but wonder if the colour of your skin may have a slight impact on the way you are treated by British Immigration!!

Don't get me wrong, I am by no means implying that British people are dearly beloved, but when it comes to British Authorities, there definitely is institutional beloved in the very heart of the function.

Rover8098 wrote: Australians are not innocent when it comes to breaking British Immigration rules and if I'm not wrong, they form one of the biggest group of nationalities overstaying in the UK,

For a few weeks or months maybe. But there is is no tendency among Australians to settle illegally in the UK.

Don't get me wrong, I am by no means implying that British people are dearly beloved, but when it comes to British Authorities, there definitely is institutional beloved in the very heart of the function.

Not all Australian citizens are white, incidentally. And have you cared to look to see what the comparable figures are for Japanese applicants? (mostly "non-white").

If it so happens that economic and social conditions in most "non-white" nations are such that the temptation to arrange a bogus marriage is higher, then that is not the problem of British Immigration authorities.

Are you seriously suggesting that the refusal rate should be the same for all nations?

It seems to me that the different rates of refusal in different countries largely reflect the economic differences (in the broadest sense) between different countries. The fact that most (although not all) of the countries with the lowest refusal rates have a predominantly (although not entirely) white population surely underlines the shape of global inequalities much more than it underlines any racialism in the UK's visa issuing practice.

It couldn't possibly be a function of the number applications submitted by a region?

What is also interesting is under the working holiday scheme the second highest applications are from Pretoria. This just highlights the point that young south africans want to use the whv to emmigrate from South Africa

John

I have a question about the statistics: HSMP applicants who apply for entry clearance from abroad - are they included in the 'Work Permits' category, or the 'Other Non-Settlement' category? I'm not clear on whether permit-free employment is covered by the former or the latter.

Many thanks for sending the link; the variance in outcomes is very interesting.

G

Gordon, it would be my guess that the Work Permits category is just that, and therefore HSMP and permit-free are within the Other Non-Settlement category.

Christophe wrote:It seems to me that the different rates of refusal in different countries largely reflect the economic differences (in the broadest sense) between different countries. The fact that most (although not all) of the countries with the lowest refusal rates have a predominantly (although not entirely) white population surely underlines the shape of global inequalities much more than it underlines any racialism in the UK's visa issuing practice.

That is basically what I was suggesting. I honestly can't think of any way of avoiding the fact that where there is a major economic gain to be had, there will be bogus applications to deal with. Where there isn't that significant gain the presumption must be that other reasons are in play.

Ever wondered why a lot of these statistics have an Issue rate and a Refusal rate which when tallied together is more than 100%?

I think it is as simple as they dealt with more applications in the year than they received during the year.

So they did a bit of catching up with the arrears in the year.

Simple example :-

At beginning of year = 30 cases outstanding
Received in year = 200
Approved in year = 190
Rejected in year = 20
Outstanding at end of year = 20 (30+200-190-20)

The percentages shown would be :-

Approved = 95% (190/200)
Rejected = 10% (20/200)

Thanks for the explanation. It indeed does make more sense than what I thought it would mean.

this document states the number of visas issued outside the UK, do anyone know what is the apporval rate for settlements applied in UK?

"But there is is no tendency among Australians to settle illegally in the UK."

Are you shitting me? I have met so many Aussies who are sans papiers and have been here for years. London's bars wouldn't function without them.
Let's just agree that British immigration policy is dearly beloved. If you are from the old commonwealth, the chances of a visa refusal are very low. If you are from a sub saharan country, you will know the humiliation and aggressive questioning one has to endure to get a visa.
I sincerely hope the visa regime makes overseas students study elsewhere. It's about time they stopped subsisdising British universities while being treated like shit.

Hernancortes wrote:If you are from a sub saharan country, you will know the humiliation and aggressive questioning one has to endure to get a visa.

The notable exception being South Africa, or more specifically, white South Africans. Remarkably the Foreign Office refuses to give statistics on the facial breakdown of visa rejections in South Africa, but it wouldn't surprise me if up to 90% of visa rejections in South Africa are for non-white applicants.

They refuse to gove statistics? I didn't know that. Might be possible to get them under freedom of information Act.
How many Africans ( non white) get working holiday visas?
The gov't knows the whole thing is dearly beloved.

Visa refusal rates reflects economic stability in a country.

In a country like South Africa where you have a small first world and third world nation living together in one country of course the WHV refusal rate is going to be higher for blacks than it is for whites.

The fact of the matter is in South Africa the

Unemployment rate for white South Africans 4.1%.
Unemployment rate for black South Africans 28.1%

I would guess if it was the other way around, I will be sure that the Uk were more likely to refuse WHV for white south africans.


Another thing, white South Africans are European decendents and some of them have got Grandparents or parents born in Britain, Holland, Germany for example so they are more likely to get a visa if not through WHV then through Ancestry.
For example I am French born and moved with my family to South Africa when I was 5, I decided Not to keep my French passport at 18 because of military service in France and also didn't really wanted to settle in France when I was younger. I am now in the UK and have to write the Life in the UK test even though I am European and on my French passport I wouldn't even had to do all this..... But hey at least I won't be doing any military service and will keep my South African and British passport mind you I also have a Scottish grandparent but didn't even bother to apply for an ancestral visa.

Fairtrade wrote: For example I am French born and moved with my family to South Africa when I was 5, I decided Not to keep my French passport at 18 because of military service in France and also didn't really wanted to settle in France when I was younger. I am now in the UK and have to write the Life in the UK test even though I am European and on my French passport I wouldn't even had to do all this..... But hey at least I won't be doing any military service and will keep my South African and British passport mind you I also have a Scottish grandparent but didn't even bother to apply for an ancestral visa.

Being born in France does not automatically make you a French citizen. Do you have French parents?

If you did have a French passport, you may still be considered a French citizen, even if you decided not to renew your passport. You should investigate what military service obligation you may have and how you can be released from these. France normally exempts French citizens resident overseas, and the military draft itself has been abolished recently.

If you had come to the UK on a French passport you would still need to do the Life in the UK Test if you wanted to become a naturalised British citizen.

JAJ wrote:

Fairtrade wrote: For example I am French born and moved with my family to South Africa when I was 5, I decided Not to keep my French passport at 18 because of military service in France and also didn't really wanted to settle in France when I was younger. I am now in the UK and have to write the Life in the UK test even though I am European and on my French passport I wouldn't even had to do all this..... But hey at least I won't be doing any military service and will keep my South African and British passport mind you I also have a Scottish grandparent but didn't even bother to apply for an ancestral visa.

Being born in France does not automatically make you a French citizen. Do you have French parents?

If you did have a French passport, you may still be considered a French citizen, even if you decided not to renew your passport. You should investigate what military service obligation you may have and how you can be released from these. France normally exempts French citizens resident overseas, and the military draft itself has been abolished recently.

If you had come to the UK on a French passport you would still need to do the Life in the UK Test if you wanted to become a naturalised British citizen.

Reminds me of sth the 70's dearly beloved comedian Bernard Manning, who died recently, said.......

"Is a dog born in a stable a horse?"

Visa refusal in Pakistan is at all time high since Blair announced his departure couple of months ago. One stats here in pakistan suggested that only 25 in 600 were getting visas in last 2 months.

"Reminds me of sth the 70's dearly beloved comedian Bernard Manning, who died recently, said.......

"Is a dog born in a stable a horse?"

That is true but how many generations do you want to go back to prove someone is French, Dutch, British are you saying only people born in Britain with parents dating back 250 years ago are true British and all the others who are born in Britain with foreign grandparents are not British? To think of it Britain is a county of immigrants, over thousands of years people have come to settle in Britain. Just think about the Anglo-Saxons, Romans, Vikings ect...

Then you can also say Australians or South Africans with British born grandparents aren't really Australian/South African because they were just born there but there grandparents are from Britain.?

So where do you draw the line? When is someone seen as a true Brit or a true Dutchman, I am very confused because my family are from all over Europe? France, Scotland, Holland, etc

Yes my mom is French and I guess I can always apply later if I want my French citizenship back after I lost it for not residing in France when I turned 18.