Dear Mr Perkins,

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000.

Thank you for your email of 10 July requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You asked to be informed of the proportion of applicants that needed to appeal against the initial decision in order to obtain a Working Holidaymaker visa at our Missions in Australia and Malaysia during the period 2005 to 2008.

I can confirm that the UK Border Agency, International Group does hold information relevant to your request. Listed below are the numbers of applicants who were issued with Working Holidaymaker visas following a successful appeal at our posts in Australia and Malaysia in each of the years 2005 - 2008. The figures include cases where, following receipt of an appeal, the original decision to refuse a visa was reviewed and overturned by the post, without the appeal proceeding to a hearing.

2005 2006

Australia - 0 Australia - 2

Malaysia - 8 Malaysia - 3

2007 2008 (Jan - Jun)

Australia - 73 Australia - 146

Malaysia - 62 Malaysia - 58

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may request an independent review of our handling of your request. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the Border and Immigration Agency sending a substantive reply to your original request and should be addressed to:

UK Border Agency
Central Freedom of Information Team
11th Floor
Lunar House, Short Corridor
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

During the independent review, the department's handling of your information request will be reassessed by staff who was not involved in providing you with the response.

Yours sincerely

Lisa Walker

Visa Services