The Law Commission in the UK has proposed the redrafting of immigration rules and regulations to make them easier for applicants to follow.
In a bid to increase transparency for applicants and lead to quicker decision-making by Home Office caseworkers, steps are being taken by the Law Commission, which reviews and recommends changes to legislation, to simplify approximately 1,100 pages of regulations to enable people to more easily understand the rules which set out the policy and practice of the home secretary in regulating the entry and settlement of people in the UK.
Difficult to navigate since they were introduced in 1973, the rules have grown from 40 pages in length to 1,100 pages. They are changed frequently with Home Office officials making more than 5,700 changes to the immigration rules since 2010.
The proposals will not be a substantive change to immigration policy, but an audit to modernise the repetitive, archaic and duplicate rules. It will also recommend a limit to the number of times a year the rules are amended to two common commencement dates a year unless the change is urgent. The Home Office has sponsored the independent body to complete the project.
The commission has suggested the introduction of simpler, clearer language, and less complicated presentation of the rules so they are easier to understand and follow. The consultation will examine a range of potential improvements including the use of headings, standardisation of wording, the inclusion of definitions and introducing consistent section numbering to reduce the possibility of confusion. The use of technology such as interactive tools and guides will also be considered.
