Tribunal announces further change to the way it works due to the Covid-19 pandemic
In a new notice issued today, the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) has updated its March coronavirus guidance and said that all Judicial Review applications, including those that do not require urgent or immediate consideration, can now be lodged using email.
The full notice follows below (the original notice is here on Judiciary.uk).
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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC
JUDICIAL REVIEW APPLICATIONS TO THE UPPER TRIBUNAL (IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM CHAMBER
Following guidance issued on 23 March 2020 we are making a change to the way we currently work. As of Wednesday 29 April 2020, all Judicial Review applications can be lodged using email.
Judicial Review applications to the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) that require urgent or immediate consideration (Form T483)
There has been no change to the following guidance issued on 23 March 2020 in relation to Judicial Review applications made to the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) that require urgent or immediate consideration.
A. Beginning on 23 March 2020 and until further notice, all applications for Judicial Review that require urgent or immediate consideration (using or including form T483/T484) MUST be filed as follows:
1. If the applicant is represented or unrepresented, and not in immigration detention or at a removal centre, by email to utiac.londonjr@Justice.gov.uk
2. If the applicant is unrepresented and is in immigration detention or at a removal centre, there is no change to the existing arrangements for filing by fax.
3. Attachments to any email must not, in total, exceed 15 MB. If they exceed this limit the email will not be delivered.
4. This applies to the whole of England and Wales; and accordingly the offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, London and Manchester will not accept such applications by hard copy.
B. Fees
A party making an application as described in paragraph A above by email will be treated as having promised to pay to the Upper Tribunal, on demand, any fee payable for the application AND will be contacted by the Tribunal for the payment in due course.
Please note for any application as described in paragraph A above, the cut-off time is 4pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays). If your application is not received by 4pm on a working day, please call the Out of Hours Court service at 0207 947 6260.
Judicial Review applications (Form T480) to the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) that DO NOT require urgent or immediate consideration
C. Beginning on 29 April 2020 and until further notice, Judicial Review applications made to the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) that do not require urgent or immediate consideration can be filed as follows:
1. By email to UTIACJudicialReviewApplications@justice.gov.uk, by post or at the fees counter when the counter re-opens.
2. Attachments to emails sent to UTIACJudicialReviewApplications@justice.gov.uk must not, in total, exceed 25 MB per email. If they exceed this limit the email will not be delivered.
D. Fees
Beginning on 29 April 2020, parties lodging applications for Judicial Review via email that do not include a successful application for Help with Fees, will be required to make an online payment.
1. For professional users who already have a PBA account, payment will be taken in the normal way.
2. For others, upon receipt of a Judicial Review application contact will be made by a member of HMCTS staff who will ask you to proceed with online payment using a unique reference number.
3. Once the required fee has been paid, the application for Judicial Review will be issued and progressed.
4. Cheques/ postal orders will still be accepted if the application for Judicial Review is filed by post.
5. Cheques/postal orders/banker's drafts/credit and debit card payments will still be accepted if the application for Judicial Review is filed at a fees counter.