Increasing Delays in the Immigration Tribunals

Recent figures published from the Immigration and Asylum Chamber show the shocking amount of out-standing cases in the First-Tier Tribunal. At the end of the third quarter last year there were 62,903 cases outstanding. This means that there are many thousands of individuals and families just waiting for their immigration appeal to be listed, often meaning that they are unable to leave the UK or even work whilst their case is pending for almost a year and in some cases far longer. Last year the average waiting time was 48 weeks with many cases taking even longer to be listed, with this figure only increasing as more time passes.

To add to this Government figures show that there has been a decrease in Immigration Judges, in 2012 there were 347 fee-paid and 132 salaried judges in the First-Tier Tribunal compared to 2016 where there were only 242 fee-paid and 77 salaried Immigration Judges.

Justice minister Sir Oliver Heald said that the Government was doing everything it can ‘to avoid unnecessary delay’ in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal.

We will continue to keep you updated.