UK Visas and Immigration

{{short description|Agency of the Home Office responsible for the United Kingdom's visa system}}

{{Infobox government agency

|type =

| seal =

|logo = UKVisas.svg

|formed = {{Start date|2013|04|}}

|preceding1 = UK Border Agency

|dissolved =

|jurisdiction =

|headquarters =

|region_code = GB

|coordinates =

|employees = 7,500

|budget =

|minister1_name = Seema Malhotra MP

|minister1_pfo = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship

|chief1_name = Abi Tierney

|chief1_position = Director General

|parent_agency = Home Office

|child1_agency =

|keydocument1 =

|website = [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration UK Visas and Immigration]

|footnotes =

|agency_type =

|agency_name = UK Visas and Immigration

|logo_width =

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UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is a division of the Home Office responsible for the United Kingdom's visa system. It was formed in 2013 from the section of the UK Border Agency that had administered the visa system.

History

The then Home Secretary, Theresa May, announced the abolition of the UK Border Agency on 26 March 2013, with the intention that its work would be returned to the Home Office.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21941395 |title=UK Border Agency 'not good enough' and being scrapped |publisher=BBC News |date=26 March 2013 |access-date=19 March 2014}} The agency's executive agency status was removed, and internally it was split, with one division responsible for the visa system and the other for immigration enforcement.{{cite web |url=http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/may/11-transition |title=UK Border Agency's transition to Home Office |date=3 May 2013 |publisher=UK Border Agency |access-date=12 May 2013}} May says UKBA had a "closed, secretive, and defensive culture" that contributed to immense backlogs. The intention of the split was to disperse cases more evenly in a way that would provide them with "high-quality decisions".{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21941395 |title=UK Border Agency 'not good enough' and being scrapped |publisher=BBC News |date=26 March 2013 |access-date=22 April 2021}} The responsible minister is the Minister of State for Immigration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-for-security-and-immigration|title=Minister of State for Immigration|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=26 June 2017}}

Sarah Rapson, the Registrar General for England and Wales, was appointed as interim director general of UK Visas and Immigration. Her position was made permanent on 5 March 2014. Marc Owen, former senior director of national and international operations, is the current director for visas and citizenship.{{cite web |title=Director for Visas and Citizenship |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/marc-owen |website=gov.uk |access-date=22 April 2021}}

Role

UKVI operates the UK visa system, managing applications from foreign nationals seeking to visit or work in the UK and also considering applications from businesses and educational institutions seeking to become sponsors for foreign nationals. It also considers applications from foreign nationals seeking protection or British citizenship and manages appeals from those who have been denied visas.{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration/about |website=gov.uk |access-date=22 April 2021}}

The UKVI's role has widened in the aftermath of Brexit. In January 2021, the UK implemented a new points-based immigration system, and EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens who resided in the UK must have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after the Brexit transition period.{{cite web |title=Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status) |url=https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families |website=gov.uk |access-date=22 April 2021}}

Locations

File:Lunar House 86.jpg in Croydon, which houses the headquarters of UK Visas and Immigration]]

{{As of|2017}}, UKVI is spread over nine buildings across the country.{{cite web|title=Visa premium service centres|url=https://www.gov.uk/ukvi-premium-service-centres/find-a-premium-service-centre|publisher=gov.uk|access-date=20 May 2017}} The headquarters of UK Visas and Immigration are in South London in Lunar House. Other immigration offices, such as the Public Enquiry Office, are also there.