---

Home Office

Answer

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria caseworkers at the Managed Migration Directorate were instructed to consider when determining applications for the right of establishment in business under EU association agreements from (a) 1 June 2003 until August 2003, (b) August 2003 to February 2004 and (c) February 2004 until 30 April 2004. [207535] Mr. Browne: The information is as follows. (a) Applicants for the right of establishment in business under EC Association Agreements(ECAA) in the period 1 June 2003 until August 2003 were required to satisfy the following basic criteria: that they held a national passport of one of the countries covered by the EC Association Agreements that if they were switching from another immigration category they had valid leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom or applied no longer than 10 days after the expiry of that leave that they could provide evidence of a certain level of funds that they produced a credible business plan that they provided a declaration indicating that they were going to be self-employed and would not resort to claiming public funds. (b) In the period August 2003 until February 2004 caseworkers were subsequently instructed that applicants from the relevant qualifying countries who produced a passport with valid leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom and a business plan would be granted 12 months leave. This was subject to there being no other concerns about the application. (c) In the period 10 February 2004 until 8 March 2004 caseworkers were instructed as far as switching cases were concerned, with the exception of illegal entrants and those who had overstayed their leave by more than 10 days, to grant applicants 12 months leave to remain. Those seeking further leave to remain provided they had not overstayed their original period of leave by six months were granted a further three years leave to remain.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

207535; 430 c387W;430 c386-7W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Applications Employment Immigration Entry clearances Managed Migration Directorate

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk