Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) increase the accessibility of the deferral of biometric data applications and (b) expedite the process for visa applicants in Gaza.

Where an applicant considers they cannot travel to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to enrol their biometrics, they can contact us to explain their circumstances. We have published guidance that sets out the policy, “Unable to travel to a Visa Application Centre to enrol biometrics (overseas applications)”: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biometric-information/unable-to-travel-to-a-visa-application-centre-to-enrol-biometrics-overseas-applications-accessible

These applicants can request either a predetermination of their visa application to enable them to decide whether to undertake a journey to a VAC, or to be excused from the requirement to attend a VAC to enrol their biometrics.

Predetermination and excusal requests, including by applicants in Gaza, are considered on a case-by-case basis. Each individual case may contain individual factors which make it compelling or compassionate and warrant it being expedited by UK Visas and Immigration staff and is carefully considered under its own merits.