Member

Some people manage to get to a centre; others do not. I have heard quite hair-raising descriptions of the risks undertaken, quite often by a woman by herself without the protection of the male accompaniment that is necessary in some of the regions concerned and sometimes with children—more than half of the visas granted for family reunion are for children. People using the “services” of smugglers to cross borders to get to a visa centre often have to go more than once. They go once to provide the biometrics, and then again to collect a visa. I recall meeting a mother and daughter who had to make a second trip because the first time they went there was an error collecting the information at the visa centre, so they had to go again and then again. The physical and mental toll that this takes is considerable. The Red Cross has provided a couple of examples. It found that almost 60% of families displaced during the application process were affected and has long called for a change in the process so that biometrics can be collected when a positive decision on a visa has been made. This should be made easier for those encountering appallingly difficult situations.