Bio-metric Residence Permits extended to asylum applications

Transcription

1 NORTH EAST PARTNERSHIP & ENGAGEMENT UPDATE EXTERNAL USE Bio-metric Residence Permits extended to asylum applications Since 25 November 2008, under the provisions of The Immigration (Biometric Registration) Regulations, biometric residence permits (BRP) have been introduced for certain foreign nationals applying for permission to remain in the UK. The requirement to apply for a BRP card has gradually been extended across the whole range of immigration applications and as part of this extension asylum applications made on or after 29 February 2012 resulting in a grant of leave for longer than 6 months (including cumulative leave) will now be issued with a BRP. BRPs are a form of residence permit, and replace the vignettes (or stickers) previously placed in passports. This only applies to foreign nationals of countries outside the European Economic Area who are granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom. All applicants, including children, are required to give their biometrics. These will be scans of all 10 fingerprints and a digital photo. Applicants who are under six are not required to provide fingerprints. The grant of leave to remain in the United Kingdom will be issued as a standalone card. There will be no endorsement in the passport. The BRP is proof of the holder s right to stay, work or study in the United Kingdom. It can also be used as a form of identification (for example, if they wish to open a bank account in the UK). The holder is not required to carry their card at all times, but they must show it at the border, together with their passport, when leaving and returning to the United Kingdom.

2 Asylum applicants will still be required to provide basic biometrics at their point of claim. For those applying on or after 29 February 2012 they, and all dependants, will be further required to attend a designated Post Office in order to enrol more detailed biometrics. This should be done whilst the asylum claim is being considered, in order to ensure prompt issuing of the BRP should a grant of leave be made. The process for enrolment will be explained fully to asylum claimants at their substantive asylum interview. COMPASS Project The COMPASS (Commercial and Operational Managers Procuring Asylum Support Services) project will procure ongoing accommodation and transport services for asylum applicants that require support. This is in line with government policy and statutory requirements and will replace the existing contracts due to expire during The new contracts will be let on a regional basis with one prime contractor being awarded an individual contract in each Immigration Group region. The three preferred bidders have been taken through due diligence and UKBA have found no material risks to awarding contracts to the organisations announced as preferred bidders Therefore, following governance approval, contracts have now been formally awarded to G4S Care & Justice Services (UK) Ltd.(North East, Yorkshire & The Humber AND Midlands & East of England regions), Clearel Limited (London & South AND Wales) and Serco Civil Government (North West AND Scotland & Northern Ireland). In terms of the North East, as the contract with G4S has now been signed, the project is begun the process of actively engaging with UKBA regional operational teams, the new and exiting suppliers and key corporate partners to effectively plan and manage the transition period. This is to ensure that there is minimal disruption to Service Users and the local community. Two workshops have taken place (one in Newcastle and the other in Stockton) where UK Border Agency and G4S outlined their plans for the move into the next phases, which are mobilization and transition. The workshops were attended by a number of key partners, including the police, local authorities, the health community and the voluntary sector. For more information on COMPASS, please visit the UK Border Agency website at: compassprogramme/ Or contact: Compass@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

3 NEYH Achieves 12 months of 100% Representation at Immigration Appeals In February 2012 the Presenting Officers Unit (POU) within the North East, Yorkshire and Humber Local Immigration Teams achieved the significant milestone of becoming the only region to achieve 12 consecutive months of making sure that our Presenting Officers cover 100% of the cases listed at the First Tier Immigration and Asylum Appeals Chamber (FTIAC). Colleagues in the POU have worked hard to ensure that this 100% representation rate is firmly embedded as business as usual and follows on from high quality initial asylum decisions. Why we do stakeholder management A clumsy term to describe working with other organisations to our mutual benefit. The case of Mr I and his family will be processed towards removal as a result of closer working between the UK Border Agency and the NHS. Mr I persisted in ringing the hospital nurse bank asking for work as he had previously been employed there. They referred the matter to our Intelligence Unit and NHS colleagues provided up to date information on our behalf as they were aware that his visa had expired. The contact with the NHS was initiated and developed by an officer in our Tyne Enforcement Unit. Customer Service Excellence for Asylum and Appeals in NEYH The Asylum and Appeals Unit within the NEYH Local Immigration Teams have been awarded the Cabinet Office s Customer Service Excellence (CSE) accreditation in January We are the first regional asylum & appeals operation to achieve accreditation and it further confirms our position as the best performing asylum & appeals operation in the country. Over the last 6 months Anne McKillop, Assistant Director for Financial Compliance led our evidence gathering work, making sure that we successfully translated the CSE criteria into our business environment. The CSE assessor summarised his findings in a report: The pre-assessment application was the most comprehensive and focussed that this assessor had seen in over three years of assessing against the CSE Standard. It demonstrated an appropriate interpretation of the Standard as it applies to the Asylum and Appeals Unit, as well as understanding the nature and quality of evidence required nearly all elements had a wide range of appropriate evidence. This set the standard for the full assessment, which, supplemented by a tour round the office facilities and discussions with staff, team leaders, managers and representatives of partnering organisations, resulted in a high level of overall compliance. The report also highlighted several areas of best practice:

4 our understanding of the culture and conditions of the home countries of asylum seekers; our Partnership and Engagement Strategy and strength in partnership working, including our recording and monitoring of partnership and engagement activity; our collaboration with a local charity (CHIVA) to run a weekly play facility on the days single parent families attend for asylum interviews; our removal of the need for the First Recording Event by covering it in the substantive interview. We will build on these achievements and best practice we have developed in our region to ensure that our customers continue to receive a high quality and respectful service from our teams. An Intelligence lead organisation In November 2011, UK Border Agency s Intelligence Unit received a report that a Pakistani national, living in Middlesbrough, had been posing as a UK national since the 1960s. It was also alleged that he was fraudulently claiming benefits. As the subject was known to be on a trip abroad, the Intelligence Unit decided that he could be dealt with effectively at his port of return. His details were therefore placed on the Warnings Index and reports were sent to the police, DWP, CFI and IPS. On 28 February 2012, the Intelligence Unit was notified that the subject was on board a plane on his way back to the UK. No flight details were known at this stage. This new information was placed on a departmental IT system and as a result he was stopped at Manchester Airport. Subsequently, all of the necessary available about the person was available via the IT system to the Manchester Airport Crime Team. The subject has now been charged. TEAM SPOTLIGHT Field Officer Team The agency s Field Officers operate out of our premises at Link House in Newcastle. The team conduct investigations into allegations of fraud, anti-social behaviour, public harassment and domestic violence in respect of those receiving asylum support, throughout the north east region. In addition, they also deal with compliance issues in order to ensure that asylum support is provided to those who require it and are legally entitled to receive it.

5 Investigation work is driven by referrals received from a wide range of areas including accommodation providers, the police, the health community, support groups and voluntary organisations, other government departments and members of the public. In addition to their investigation work, the team also carry out contact management visits to asylum support recipients in order to ensure that they are receiving the correct support package for their particular needs. The visits also provide an opportunity to assist in the delivery of our safeguarding children responsibilities and also to provide advice and information on facilities such as Assisted Voluntary Return.. LOCAL IMMIGRATION TEAM UPDATES Changes to Northumbria Local Immigration Team Leader From 1 April 2012 Brian Craven will be taking over from Colin Flynn as the Northumbria Local Immigration Team leader, whilst Colin will be taking responsibility for the North Yorkshire Local Immigration Team. Brian will be focussing on asylum matters, including case work, support and compliance and representation. John Vine Visit John Vine is the Independent Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency. John visited the Northumbria LIT at Link House in Newcastle on Friday 23. John s visit was routine rather than for a formal inspection and his intention was to see various parts of the Northumbria LIT in operation. After meeting LIT staff both individually and collectively, John provided positive feedback on the knowledge, commitment and attitude of the LIT members. Steve Lamb Temporary Move The NEYH Regional Director, Steve Lamb, has been asked to take on the role of the Regional Director for London & The South East for a period of between 3-6 months. During Steve s absence, his post will be filled by Simon Walker, who is currently the Deputy Director for NEYH Asylum & Appeals Operations and the West Yorkshire Local Immigration Team Leader. North East Strategic Migration Partnership A decision has been made not to renew the grant arrangement in place to fund NESMP beyond 31. This is not a reflection of the work which NESMP has done over the past ten years or so, it is simply a decision based on the increasing profile of the Local Immigration Team structure in the region and the view that the LITs should take on more direct control for their partnership working. Work is now ongoing to set up a regional forum to facilitate discussion between UK Border Agency and its key partners in the north east region.

6 Enforcing the message A successful illegal worker operation was carried out by the Tyne Enforcement Team, which made the headlines of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. The job focussed on the Smiths Arms Pub in Catchgate, County Durham, with intelligence suggesting that illegal labour was being used to carry out the refurbishment of the building. Officers from the team recently visited one evening and arrested four Chinese men working illegally. This included some working on the roof in the dark. The gang, which included two other men, are thought to have been living in the derelict building while they carried out the work, much to the concern of nearby residents. The Enforcement Team even had time to take a few dramatic pictures of the men shortly after they were arrested and as they were led away. The pictures were passed to the paper and were good enough to be used as part of a two page spread covering the raid. As well as quoting UK Border Agency, the journalist also spoke to the owner of the restaurant, who claimed that he had no idea that illegal labour was being used. He added that, with hindsight, he should have done more to make sure the proper paper work checks were carried out on the workers a key UK Border Agency message. CAAU Update Our case resolution directorate (CRD) has completed a review of older asylum cases (known as 'legacy cases'). The Case Assurance & Audit Unit (CAAU) was established to take forward cases following the closure of the Case Resolution Directorate (CRD). CRD over the life span of their program concluded 455,000 older unresolved cases. Of this figure 171,500 (38%) were granted Leave to Remain (LTR) in the UK, 37,000 (8%) were removed from the UK and 246,000 (54%) were other conclusions (duplicate records or cases placed in the Controlled Archive (CA). CAAU are now responsible for dealing with all remaining undecided cases, with the exception of those residing in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the South West. CAAU is also responsible for all cases from the legacy cohorts that are in the CA. There are currently 98,029 cases that are either currently in the CA or will fall into the CA within the next six months (breakdown 78,594 in CA, 22,435 to be added within six months). A number of cases have been reviewed but are still awaiting a final conclusion. Some examples of cases awaiting conclusion are:

7 cases awaiting prosecution; cases awaiting removal (including a small number of cases that require further casework action before removal action can be progressed); cases with ongoing litigation; and Cases that were placed in a controlled archive because CRD could not trace the applicant. This is not an exhaustive list; these cases are subject to ongoing review and will ultimately be resolved through a grant of leave or removal from UK. We are aware that some cases were not included within the original CRD review because of the quality of data at the time that the asylum application was made. Our case assurance and audit unit (CAAU) will now consider any such cases. If CRD was previously unable to contact an applicant, their case was probably placed in the controlled archive. If we now establish contact with that applicant, we will take their case out of the controlled archive and CAAU will consider it. If CRD previously refused your outstanding submissions or advised you that you had no outstanding submissions, CAAU may now seek to remove you from the UK. In these cases we prefer applicants to leave the country voluntarily, and you can seek assistance with voluntary returns from your local refugee action office. CAAU will consider cases in line with the Immigration Rules that are in place when a final decision is made. CAAU will contact you directly if we require any further information. You can contact the unit at: Case Assurance and Audit Unit Department 87 PO Box 306 Liverpool L2 0QN CAAU_enquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk

8 SUPPORT ENQUIRIES NAM Asylum claims enquiries (post March 2007 asylum claims) Fax (0113) / CAAU (pre March 2007 asylum claims) NAM Minors asylum claims (post March 2007) Y&H NAM Section 95 (inc ECP and EST requests) (post March 2007 claims) NAM granted and terminated support queries including NASS 35 queries Fax (0113) NEYH Initial Accommodation (inc dispersal queries) Fax number (0113) or North East asylum support queries Telephone number Fax number

9 NAM Section 4 (post March 2007 asylum claims) S4 decisions, reinstatements, additional payments and S4 enquiries Fax number Or (0113) LeedsAsylumSection4@homeoffice.gsi.gov. NAM Section 4 AZURE card Enquiries SODEXO FREEPHONE Balance Enquiries (Problems with payment card) (0208) CAAU Section 4 support enquiries. (Pre March 2007 asylum claims) Or (0151) or Section4queries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk NAM Travel enquiries Or (0113) LeedsAsylumWorkflowAllocationTeam@ homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Compliance referrals PH/ASB/Fraud, DV and Child Protection for North East Emergency Duty Officer (out of office hours) Telephone (Y&H) (NE)

10 CHANGES TO OPENING TIMES FOR THE NEYH ASYLUM DUTY PHONE LINES Please note that in order to incorporate an internal process change, with effect from Monday the 28 th November the Asylum Casework Duty line s hours will change to: Mon-Fri 09:00 hrs to 16:45 hrs. The number is or and should be used to contact the NEYH Local Immigration Teams (LITs) to discuss asylum cases. Should your query relate to asylum support then the number to ring is NEYH COMPASS TRANSITION TEAM CONTACTS A team has been established within the NEYH Local Immigration Teams (LITs) to manage the transition of accommodation and transport under the COMPASS programme. Over the coming weeks the team will be issuing communications to partners informing them of developments, and will also be the point of contact for any transition queries in the region. If you would like to contact the team you can do so by NEYHCOMPASSTransition@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk REFUGEE COUNCIL OWN LANGUAGE TELEPHONE ADVICE SERVICE (OLTAS) Refugee Council's Own-Language Telephone Advice Service (OLTAS) has added two new languages to its service, bringing the total number of languages covered to eight: Kurdish, Farsi, Mandarin, Pashtu, Arabic, Tigrinya, Somali (new), & Tamil (new). Call them free from UK landline numbers and the main six UK mobile phone networks (3, Orange, Virgin, Vodafone, T-Mobile & O2):

11 Face to face appointments are given for complex issues. OLTAS opening times: Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri: Wed: 9.30am pm (new) 2.00pm pm If you require further information about any of the content of this update or any other UK Border Agency/Local Immigration Team issue, please direct your enquiries using the relevant contact details below. Wallace Wilson Deputy Director & Local Immigration Team Manager UK Border Agency Link House Melbourne Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2JQ Tel: Mob : Wallace.wilson@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Colin Flynn * Assistant Director - Senior Manager Northumbria Local Immigration Team United Kingdom Border Agency Link House, Melbourne Street Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 2JQ Tel: Mob: Colin.Flynn@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Katherine Hierons Assistant Director Teesside & Durham Local Immigration Team Manager UK Border Agency Victoria House, Teesdale, Thornaby on Tees, TS17 6PT Tel: Mob: Katherine.Hierons@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk * Until 31, From 1 April 2012 please contact :- Brian Craven Assistant Director - Senior Manager Northumbria Local Immigration Team United Kingdom Border Agency Link House, Melbourne Street Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 2JQ Tel: Mob : Brian.Craven3@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

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