This archive report was first published on 17 July 2019.
According to a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG) for Africa, published on July 17, 2019, Africans are twice as likely to be denied UK visas than applicants from any other part of the world.
The UK immigration system has been criticized for being 'biased or even discriminating' against Africans, with the report concluding that it is 'not currently fit for purpose.'
The study highlights multiple challenges faced by African applicants, including the need to travel long distances to apply for a visa, financial discrimination, and the lack of a right of appeal.
Chi Onwurah MP, chair of the APPG for Africa, expressed her concerns, stating, 'At a time when the UK needs to be 'open for business', the broken visas system is doing severe damage to UK-Africa relations across a variety of sectors.'
She added, 'It is embarrassing, patronising and insulting to African applicants and leaves the slogan of 'Global Britain' empty and meaningless.'
