Arthur Little
16th February 2010, 02:28
... that applying for 'Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK' *USED to be FREE? :cwm24:
Yes ... right up until the year 2003, in fact; at which point, Labour decided to introduce fees ... initially £155 ... rising rapidly - and steeply - to the present £820 [or, alternatively, for an additional payment of £200, one can elect to appear in person, either at the Home Office in London, or one or other of the Regional Centres around the country].
*This only became apparent to ME yesterday afternoon ... whilst I was searching around in an attempt to address a related issue raised by another member of the forum.
As if to "add insult to injury" ... in what is already a sickening "body-blow" for applicants about to press ahead with their ILR submissions ... consider this:
The Government has readily admitted that the present level of fees payable, far and away exceeds overall administration costs ... claiming that the excess amounts derived from the issuance of visas :bluegrab: is being utilised for funding various other projects currently in the pipeline (like ploughing more money into a struggling National Health Service ... in a bid to attract more, much-needed doctors and nursing staff, for instance? What a :joke:!). Seemingly, a petition calling for a Govt. review of the extortionate fees was flatly rejected!
Roll on May 6, right enough ...
Yes ... right up until the year 2003, in fact; at which point, Labour decided to introduce fees ... initially £155 ... rising rapidly - and steeply - to the present £820 [or, alternatively, for an additional payment of £200, one can elect to appear in person, either at the Home Office in London, or one or other of the Regional Centres around the country].
*This only became apparent to ME yesterday afternoon ... whilst I was searching around in an attempt to address a related issue raised by another member of the forum.
As if to "add insult to injury" ... in what is already a sickening "body-blow" for applicants about to press ahead with their ILR submissions ... consider this:
The Government has readily admitted that the present level of fees payable, far and away exceeds overall administration costs ... claiming that the excess amounts derived from the issuance of visas :bluegrab: is being utilised for funding various other projects currently in the pipeline (like ploughing more money into a struggling National Health Service ... in a bid to attract more, much-needed doctors and nursing staff, for instance? What a :joke:!). Seemingly, a petition calling for a Govt. review of the extortionate fees was flatly rejected!
Roll on May 6, right enough ...