Correspondence between Kalayaan and UK Border Agency re requirement to produce passports from employers of domestic workers, 11-13 April 2011.
ILPA members have reported problems problems with applications for domestic workers in private households since the introduction of the new version (version 04/2011) of form FLR(BID), with UK Border Agency staff trying to insist that employers’ original passports being sent to them in almost every case. They should not be doing this, as the attached email exchange with Kalayaan and the template letter from Kalayaan, both of which you are free to use in dealings with the Agency, make clear.
Jenny Moss of Kalayaan updated ILPA on 8 September 2011 saying
“We have phoned the Non-Operational Points-Based policy team and they have confirmed that a passport photocopy will suffice (plus visa photocopy if the employer is non-UK national). We have created a standard letter (attached) and are giving domestic workers a scan of the email from the Non-Operational policy team confirming that a copy is enough (also attached).
We have told them that they must change the guidance with urgency because obviously not every domestic worker comes in contact with Kalayaan and they’ve said they will do this but it will take time.
I have come across one refusal of a visa based on non-production of the employers passport in spite of the fact the solicitor had sent a certified copy of the passport. I have forwarded that particular case on to the policy team and they have promised me that they will try and remedy this.
In cases where workers have sent the Kalayaan letter we have had a couple of instances where the caseworker has come back to us and asked for the original passport again but when we have replied with version of the letter attached personalised for the client, the visas have been issued.
It seems therefore that there is a disconnect between caseworkers and the policy team.
- Document Date
- 2011-04-13
- Issue Number
- 11.09.13697