Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2017 to Question 111996 on Visas: Married People, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that sponsors of (a) spousal visa applicants and (b) EEA family permit applicants who reside in the UK are not subjected to charges of up to £5.48 for enquiries to UK Visa and Immigration by email; and if she will make a statement.

Where an application is made overseas UK Visas and Immigration have a chargeable email rates of £5.48 per email enquiry, this charge is levied to fund the contact centre commercial contract as the UK government believes it is right that those who use and benefit directly from the UK immigration system make an appropriate contribution towards meeting the costs of the immigration system. Information is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk

Where an application is made in the UK the customers will contact our in-country contact centre. The contact centres provide information about the Immigration Rules and the Points Based System requirements via a number of published customer enquiry line numbers. In 2014, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, UKVI changed all 0845 and 0870 prefix helpline numbers to lower call tariff rate 0300 prefix numbers. UKVI do not generate any income from these non-geographic numbers enquiry lines.

UKVI have in place self selection pages on the Gov.uk website (see link below), as well as effective use of informative telephony message on our help lines to further ensure and assist customers wanting to contact UKVI. This initial triaging activity on our website ensures customers are provided with the correct point of contact within our business regarding their in country or overseas application enquiry.