5 July 2019

MPs and Lawyers have demanded an investigation into the new UK visa system which sees application submission outsourced to French company Sopra Steria.

The system has been widely criticised since its implementation in November 2018 due to a lack of available appointments, a limited number of locations and the increasing costs that apply in the event that filing via a premium route becomes the only option to ensure that submission is completed in time.

Sopra Steria has advised that they have increased capacity in an effort to meet demand, with a further seven service points to become available from July 2019, and a Home Office spokesperson has issued an apology to applicants unable to secure an appointment.