Yet another visa crisis as office is ‘close to collapse’

Thousands of people including some of London’s top foreign executives were today snared in a new immigration crisis after a computer crash at the country’s main visa centre.

Overseas investors and entrepreneurs will also be hit after the cancellation of all afternoon appointments for the next two weeks for foreigners wanting to extend their stay in Britain.

The move follows the repeated failure of the IT system used to process applications at the UK Border Agency visa centre in Croydon. There are also reports of inadequate staffing and disorganisation.

It means that thousands of foreign residents will be unable to renew their visas as planned and jeopardise

the travel plans of executives and others from some of London’s leading companies.

Lawyers said the cancellation of the appointments, which began today, highlighted growing chaos in a visa system “close to collapse” in a potentially severe blow to the country’s economy.

Andrew Tingley, a partner at law firm Kingsley Napley, said those affected faced having to send in their passports by post to obtain a new visa and risk being unable to travel for up to six months while the application was approved.

“The system has now reached crisis point and is impacting on the ability of global companies to conduct business within the UK to promote growth and recovery,” he said

“It is unacceptable and not realistic for individuals to have to remain in the UK for up to six months without the ability to travel. There needs to be urgent action by the Home Secretary and Immigration Minister to resolve this crisis”

Maria Patsalos, an immigration lawyer at Mishcon de Reya, added: “It’s just madness at the moment. We have had chief executives caught up in this who can’t understand why it is all so backward. It’s also affecting major investors. There are big problems with the computer system which crashes continually. They also don’t seem to have the staff to cope.

She added: “These are often high net-worth people who need to be able to travel. It’s a complete mess that is getting worse.”

The cancelled appointments at Croydon were for foreign nationals paying up to £1,326 per person for a 24-hour visa service that allows them to retain their passport so that they can continue to travel.

All alternative appointments are fully booked for the next eight weeks. That leaves the alternative of applying by post, which requires the surrender of the passport and a potential six-month delay before its return.