Manx visa application backlog halved since January

Most visa applications are now being processed by immigration services in 45 days

A backlog of visa applications on the Isle of Man has been halved since January, the head of customs has confirmed.

When immigration services moved from the Cabinet Office to the Treasury at the start of the year there were 780 applications to process but that has reduced to 380.

Sandra Simpson also confirmed the majority of cases were being turned around in 45 days after an "all time high" of 90 days in April.

Speaking at the Government Conference, she said the service was "not out of the woods but the situation is starting to get under control".

Visa applications jumped from 856 in 2017-18 to 4,451 in 2023-24 following Brexit.

Ms Simpson told the conference the same team also saw the number of applications for passports "go through the roof".

She said efforts to reduce the blockage included customs team members taking over immigrations procedures at the border, including meeting boats and flights, and the training of new recruits.

Sandra Simpson said there were currently 380 outstanding visa applications

Ms Simpson said in recent months resources had also been taken up assisting the police with cases that included the use of false documents and workers being offered visas under fraudulent pretences.

"At this stage we don’t know the extent of the abuse in these areas, but it is there, and in some cases the evidence is suggesting that it is quite widespread," she said.

There was "considerable work that needs to be done" working with police and the enterprise department on " identifying areas of concern, and making any new changes to policy, legislation and procedures", she said.

She also confirmed the team was undertaking a review of historic applications to "look for patterns and trends to establish the extent of the abuse in the system".

In March, Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said "tightening up immigration policy" would need to be developed "within the next 12 months".