Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to remove barriers in the visa application system.

Through the Future Borders and Immigration System (FBIS) programme, we are delivering a streamlined, simplified and modern visa system that meets the needs of the Home Office and its customers.

Increasingly, we are replacing physical and paper-based products and services with accessible, easy to use online and digital services. This provides applicants with an easy online application process, including providing biometrics and establishing or verifying identity using their smartphones.

To make our system accessible to all, we have expanded support for those that require assistance to make an online visa application. Our UKVI Resolution Centre has been extended and is now open seven days a week for telephone and email enquiries. We also have an assisted digital service which provides UK-wide support to customers who do not have access to technology, or the digital skills or confidence, to complete the forms online.

By creating clearer guidance and content on gov.uk we have made it simpler and more intuitive for people to understand if they are eligible for a visa, what steps they need to take to apply and, if granted, the conditions of their stay in the UK.