“High Court Challenge Exposes Home Office’s Mishandling of Visa Holders and Security Concerns”

The Home Office is facing a challenge in the High Court over its treatment of individuals applying to renew and extend their visas. The Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex & London (RAMFEL) has launched a judicial review, claiming that the government’s actions towards those with “3C leave” status have been unfair. This status is granted to individuals automatically when they apply to extend their visas, ensuring that their rights, including the right to work, are protected during the application process. However, RAMFEL argues that the government does not provide proof of immigration status to those on 3C leave, leaving them without documentation to prove their rights and entitlements. The charity also highlights that some applications are taking up to a year due to the Home Office’s focus on clearing the asylum backlog. RAMFEL reports that its clients have experienced wrongful suspension from work, loss of disability benefits, and disruption to education. The charity predicts that as many as 40,000 people each year could face wrongful suspension from work. Yvonne Atieno from RAMFEL, who has personal experience of 3C leave, emphasizes the difficulties faced by individuals without physical proof of their immigration status. RAMFEL calls for documentation to be provided to applicants to explain and prove their rights while their cases are being processed. The High Court will consider the legality of the government’s conduct in March. The Prime Minister has been under pressure to address the backlog of unprocessed asylum claims, and the government has pledged to deal with over 92,000 cases by 2023. However, there have been concerns about individuals being left in limbo and facing eviction and financial difficulties due to withdrawn applications. The Home Office has not commented on the ongoing legal proceedings.