Family visit visa appeals: changes come into effect on 9 July 2012

09 July 2012

As announced by the government on 18 June 2012, the Immigration Appeals (Family Visitor) Regulations 2012 come into force today (9 July 2012). The regulations set out who qualifies for a full right of appeal against a visa refusal to visit family in the UK.

These regulations change the appeal rights of family visit visa applicants. If you are applying to visit your uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, or a relative who does not have settled, refugee or humanitarian protection status in the UK, and we refuse your visa application, you will not have a full right of appeal. A limited right of appeal will remain on human rights and race discrimination grounds.

No changes are being made to the Rules governing who can qualify for entry to the UK as a visitor and genuine visitors are welcome.

The Crime and Courts Bill, announced on 11 May 2012, will, subject to parliamentary approval, remove the full right of appeal against all family visit visa refusals. It is expected to come into force by 2014.

The text above was taken from the UKBA website