Written question asked by Brian H Donohoe (Labour) on Thursday, 3 May 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 11 May 2001. It was answered by Keith Vaz (Labour) on Friday, 11 May 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what procedures are in place for an applicant to challenge the contents of an entry clearance officer's notes taken during an informal assessment of the prospects of the award of a visitor visa on the grounds of the applicant's statements being misunderstood.

Answer: Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures are in place for an applicant to challenge the contents of an Entry Clearance Officer's notes taken during an informal assessment of the prospects of the award of a visitor visa on the grounds of the applicant's statements being misunderstood. [160697] Mr. Vaz: The pre-assessment is the procedure whereby an Entry Clearance Officer can give advice to an applicant that their application is unlikely to succeed. The applicant does not have to accept this advice and can proceed with the application at any time. If an applicant therefore believes that his or her statements have been misunderstood during the preliminary assessment, he or she will be given the opportunity to make this clear during the formal visa interview.

Secondary information