Services between Isle of Man Immigration Office and United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI)

Summary

The request sought details on how the Isle of Man Immigration Office handles unsatisfactory UKVI services, including escalation procedures, contact methods, and fee sharing. The response disclosed that the office uses direct email and phone contacts with UKVI Entry Clearance Officers, does not share visa fees, and occasionally assists applicants by forwarding complaints to UKVI managers.

Key Facts

• The Isle of Man Immigration Office escalates UKVI service issues on a case-by-case basis.
• Direct communication with UKVI occurs predominantly via email, with telephone used when appropriate.
• The office does not communicate with UKVI through third-party private companies.
• Contacts are primarily with Entry Clearance Officers (ECO), escalating to Entry Clearance Managers (ECM) when justified.
• The Isle of Man receives no percentage of visa application fees paid to UKVI.

Data Disclosed

• 26 October 2017
• 27 November 2017
• June 2013
• 2015
• IM108323I
• 3 pages
• 1 document

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

1

REFERENCE NUMBER: IM108323I

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”) Thank you for your online application dated 26 October 2017 for the following information (clarification shown in bold):

“Background: In the case that the UKVI provides unsatisfactory service to the Isle of Man Government in regards to visa issues, for example, failing to send a passport to an applicant eight weeks after a decision has been made:

1. what recourse(s) the Isle of Man Government has to escalate matters with the UKVI when the UKVI as the IOM Immigration's office is rendering poor service
2. does the Isle of Man immigration office have any direct contacts with the UKVI (I am not requesting details such as phone numbers or names, merely the existence of direct contacts)
3. does the Isle of Man immigration office have any indirect contacts with the UKVI, and what are these contacts (I am not requesting information such as phone numbers, just the names of organisations and departments). Indirect means a contact that goes via a route other than directly to the UKVI, in other words, a contact to the UKVI via a 3rd party such as a private company engaged by the UKVI in an outsourcing agreement; another department of the UK government; etc. A direct contact would be for example a contact by any communication method to someone who works in the UKVI itself. An example of an indirect contact would be a contact by any communication method that purports to be with the UKVI, but is serviced someone other than the UKVI itself, eg SITEL UK, the company currently engaged by UKVI to provide an enquiry service.
4. what methods of communication the Isle of Man Immigration service has with the UKVI (e.g. phone contacts, email contacts), again I am not asking for specific phone numbers, just the quantity and type of contacts IOM Immigration have with the UKVI.
5. who these contacts are with (job titles; I am not seeking personal names).
6. has the Isle of Man Immigration office, on any occasion, assisted a Manx resident (person or company) with these contacts with the UKVI, especially in instances of unsatisfactory service by the UKVI. A Manx Resident means any person or company resident in the Isle of Man, who is involved with a visa application (either as the sponsor or the recipient); or: any person or company who intends to be resident in the Isle of Man as the result of a visa application. regardless of nationality.

Government Office DOUGLAS Isle of Man IM1 3PN Tel: (+44) 01624 686244 Fax: (+44) 01624 685710 Website www.gov.im/co
2

1. what percentage of visa application fees paid to the UKVI are forwarded to the Isle of Man's immigration office for doing their part of the work.” Response to your request
   The information requested is as follows:

2. The Isle of Man Immigration Office will escalate a matter with United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) on a case by case basis.

3. Yes, the Isle of Man Immigration Office has direct contacts with UKVI.
4. The Isle of Man Immigration Office does not communicate with UKVI through third party private companies.
5. The Isle of Man Immigration Office communicates with UKVI predominantly by email but also by telephone where it feels it is appropriate.
6. The Isle of Man Immigration Office deals predominantly with the Entry Clearance Officers (ECO) from UKVI who refers a visa application to the Isle of Man. Cases may when there is just cause, be escalated to an Entry Clearance Manager (ECM).
   The process for referring entry clearance applications to the Crown Dependencies, which includes the Isle of Man, is set out in the common travel area guidance which can be located on UKVI website here www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-travel-area-cta This guidance is issued by UKVI to its global staff. Please note this guidance was issued in June 2013 and is currently in the process of being updated.
7. The Isle of Man Immigration Office does not pass on UKVI contacts to an applicant but has, on occasion, assisted individuals applying for entry clearance to the Isle of Man and who believe they have experienced unsatisfactory service from UKVI, by forwarding their complaint to an Entry Clearance Manager at the overseas post dealing with that application, to allow them to address the matter directly with the applicant.
8. The Isle of Man does not receive any percentage of visa application fees. The Immigration (Isle of Man) (Amendment) Order 2015 sets out the provisions on the charging of fees for immigration and nationality services; the power of the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man to prescribe fees under the Immigration Acts to functions exercised within the Isle of Man i.e. Further Leave to Remain, Indefinite Leave to Remain; and the power of the Secretary of State to prescribe fees where the functions are exercised outside the Isle of Man by the Secretary of State on behalf of the Governor, ie Entry Clearance. A copy of the Order is available here www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1765/pdfs/uksi_20151765_en.pdf .
   Your right to request a review If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to the FOI Co-ordinator, Cabinet Office, Government Office, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PN. An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website https://www.gov.im/foireview. If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange for this.
   Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded. 3

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to apply for a review of decisions by the Information Commissioner, for a decision on; 1) Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
2) Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested. In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.
More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://www.inforights.im/ Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found at: www.gov.im/foi.