There is widespread disappointment that the Ugandan Humanist School Directors had their application for entry visas into the UK turned down by the Home Office, and that they were only offered an appeal interview in Kampala the day after they were due to fly to the UK.
The expenses of the trip for all three would have been substantially covered by a grant to the BHA from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This would have allowed the Directors to participate in the World Humanist Congress in Oxford at little personal cost. Unfortunately their visa applications fell foul of the new stricter immigration regime implemented by the Home Office over the past two years. This requires applicants to provide documentary evidence of strong economic and family ties in the source country, Uganda, such that there is a high probability that they will want to return there.
The BHA and IHEU transferred funds for flights and visa expenses more than 6 to 8 weeks before Peter, Moses and Robert had to fly to the UK for the World Humanist Congress. However, given the relatively slow pace of visa reviews, it proved too short to allow both for an initial failed application and the completion of a full appeal process.
Each of them furnished bank statements to show the extent of their income and savings. Unfortunately, a current account balance of £7 and no savings accounts did not convince the visa authorities that they had strong economic reasons to stay in Uganda. The schools are essentially in the the rural subsistence sector of the economy. Staff are paid on a casual basis and none earn enough to be included in the national social security system, so they could not furnish formal pay slips as evidence of earnings. People living and working in the subsistence sector of a developing country are clearly not expected to travel to another country, even if a first-world organisation is paying their expenses!?
Although all three have stable partnerships with families, they had local community ceremonies, not recognised by the state. As a result they could not provide documentary evidence, marriage certificates, of their family status.
The following extract from the Home Office letter reveals all:
The Decision
- You have declared that you are employed as a teacher, that you have a fiancée and two children and that the purpose of your visit is to attend the World Humanist Congress.
- Your personal bank statement shows a balance of £7. You have given no evidence of family ties in Uganda and there is no evidence of how your income could support a family. You appear to have no savings or other assets.
- The letter from the British Humanist Association says your visit is part financed by the FCO. But there is no evidence that you are personally being sponsored.
- I am not satisfied that you are genuinely seeking entry for a limited period.
UHST Trustees submitted appeals with the support of the local Conservative MP for mid-Staffordshire and the Liberal MP for Cambridge. The BHA also made high level representations to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and, in truth, the FCO did all it could do to accelerate the visa review process. In the end, however, everyone’s efforts came to nought and three very disappointed school Directors remain in Uganda. They have each had to make made 3 or 4 trips to Kampala, round trips of between 6 and 20 hours, at considerable personal cost in money, time and anxiety.
If we were able to raise funds for them to come at a later date it is difficult to see how we could satisfy the Home Office that the guys are absolutely genuine. If any of you have advice on what Peter, Moses and Robert should do to be successful the next time then it would be very much welcomed.
For now it remains for me to apologise to those of you who had planned to come to our proposed “Meet the School Directors Meeting” in Crewe on Wednesday 13th August, which we have had to cancel.
Home Office denies visas to Ugandan Humanist School Directors
Posted: August 10, 2014 by Steve Hurd
The expenses of the trip for all three would have been substantially covered by a grant to the BHA from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This would have allowed the Directors to participate in the World Humanist Congress in Oxford at little personal cost. Unfortunately their visa applications fell foul of the new stricter immigration regime implemented by the Home Office over the past two years. This requires applicants to provide documentary evidence of strong economic and family ties in the source country, Uganda, such that there is a high probability that they will want to return there.
The BHA and IHEU transferred funds for flights and visa expenses more than 6 to 8 weeks before Peter, Moses and Robert had to fly to the UK for the World Humanist Congress. However, given the relatively slow pace of visa reviews, it proved too short to allow both for an initial failed application and the completion of a full appeal process.
Each of them furnished bank statements to show the extent of their income and savings. Unfortunately, a current account balance of £7 and no savings accounts did not convince the visa authorities that they had strong economic reasons to stay in Uganda. The schools are essentially in the the rural subsistence sector of the economy. Staff are paid on a casual basis and none earn enough to be included in the national social security system, so they could not furnish formal pay slips as evidence of earnings. People living and working in the subsistence sector of a developing country are clearly not expected to travel to another country, even if a first-world organisation is paying their expenses!?
Although all three have stable partnerships with families, they had local community ceremonies, not recognised by the state. As a result they could not provide documentary evidence, marriage certificates, of their family status.
The following extract from the Home Office letter reveals all:
The Decision
UHST Trustees submitted appeals with the support of the local Conservative MP for mid-Staffordshire and the Liberal MP for Cambridge. The BHA also made high level representations to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and, in truth, the FCO did all it could do to accelerate the visa review process. In the end, however, everyone’s efforts came to nought and three very disappointed school Directors remain in Uganda. They have each had to make made 3 or 4 trips to Kampala, round trips of between 6 and 20 hours, at considerable personal cost in money, time and anxiety.
If we were able to raise funds for them to come at a later date it is difficult to see how we could satisfy the Home Office that the guys are absolutely genuine. If any of you have advice on what Peter, Moses and Robert should do to be successful the next time then it would be very much welcomed.
For now it remains for me to apologise to those of you who had planned to come to our proposed “Meet the School Directors Meeting” in Crewe on Wednesday 13th August, which we have had to cancel.
Category: News