HOME OFFICE POLICIES AND THE AIT

 1. Introduction

a.      A growth industry!

b.      Sources of Law: Primary legislation; Secondary legislation; Immigration Rules; Case law; and Home Office Policy.

c.       Personal interest.

 
2. What are Home Office Policies?

a.      Immigration Rules: MO (Date of decision: applicable rules) Nigeria [2007] UKAIT 00057

b.      A definition? Abukari Musah [1995] Imm AR 236; Concessions; Limits: Senanayake [2005] EWCA Civ 1530;

c.      Policies which have now become Rules: OS (10 years’ lawful residence) Hong Kong [2006] UKAIT 00031

d.      Finding Policies: Pre 1998 letters; IDI (http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawandpolicy/); DSP (http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/); API; OEM; Country Specific (Country Specific Asylum Policy Team 0208 603 5343; UK Government Web Archive http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/preservation/archivedwebsites.htm);  NI; European Casework Instruction; Work Permits UK; Unknown/Unclear Policies.

e.      Well-known Policies:  DP3/96; One-Off Exercise; Seven-Year Concession (DP5/96), DL for asylum seeking minors & Iraq Policy Bulletin August 2006.

f.        Policies & Delay: R(S) [2007] EWCA Civ 546; HB [2006] EWCA Civ 1713

g.      Near-miss: the rationale/spirit of the policy: Shkembi [2005] EWCA Civ 1592 & KL (Article 8-Lekstaka-delay-near-misses) Serbia & Montenegro [2007] UKAIT 00044

 3. The Relevance of Policies to AIT appeals

a.      Dhudi Saleban Abdi [1995] EWCA Civ 27 see Zahhir Chowdhury, ‘The doctrine of legitimate expectation and the concepts of fairness and abuse of power in immigration cases’, ILD Vol 12, 13.

b.      Statutory Basis (NIAA 2002): Immigration decision s. 82(2); Ground of appeal s. 84(1)(e); Tribunal’s power s. 86(3)(a); Restrictions ss. 86(6) & 88(2)(d) [s. 88(4) HR as gateway]. 

c.       Remit it back or allow outright? IA(‘applying policies’) Mauritius [2006] 00082 §§ 17-18 & 25

d.      Article 8: decisive [IA § 29] or a factor in the balance – delay [HB § 24 & DS [2007] EWCA Civ 774]  near miss [KL §§ 46 -47]

 4. Conclusion: tactical considerations

a.      find it; plead it; appeal it; argue it.

b.      Be creative: engage with spirit.

c.       Advice to Home Office [OS §§ 13 – 14; IA § 32].