Written question asked by Damian Green (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 February 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 9 February 2006. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Thursday, 16 February 2006 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Visas

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average time an entry clearance officer took to make a decision on a visa application in the last period for which figures are available.

Answer: I have been asked to reply.UKvisas does not calculate the average time it takes an Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) to make a decision on an entry clearance application. However, three of UKvisas' public service agreement (PSA) Targets indicating the length of time a Visa Section should aim to resolve an application, were met in financial year 2004–05. They are as follows:"90 per cent. of straightforward non-settlement visa applications to be processed and available for return to the applicant within 24 hours from the date of receipt by the Visa Section of the application and all supporting documents including the fee.""90 per cent. of non-settlement applications requiring further inquiries or interview to be decided within 15 working days from the date of receipt by a Visa Section of the application and all supporting documents including the fee.""90 per cent. of applicants for settlement visas to be interviewed within target times as follows:""12 weeks, except in four busy settlement posts (New Delhi, Bombay, Dhaka and Islamabad), where the following maximum waiting times for a settlement interview should apply:""Queue 1: (Right of Abode claims: dependent relatives over 65; special compassionate cases): 3 months maximum;""Queue 2: (Spouses, children under 18): 3 months maximum;""Queue 3: (Fiancé(e)s, other settlement categories): 6 months maximum;""Queue 4: (settlement re-applicants): 9 months maximum."

Secondary information