India among 'high-risk' nations facing hefty visa fee to UK

[thestringshredder]

LONDON: Visitors from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other Asian and African countries deemed "high-risk" will be forced to pay a hefty cash bond before they can enter the UK.

According to a 'Sunday Times' report, the British government is planning to pilot a scheme from November targeted at visitors from at least six countries, also including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.

Tourists aged 18 and over would be forced to hand over 3,000 pounds for a six-month visit visa, which they will forfeit if they overstay in Britain.

Initially the scheme will target hundreds of visitors, but the plan is to extend it to several thousand, according to the front-page report in the newspaper.

It claims that the move by UK Home Secretary Theresa May is designed to show that Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative party is serious about cutting immigration and abuses of the system and counter by-election gains by the populist anti-immigration party ? United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP).

Cameron's election pledge was to cut annual net migration below 100,000 by 2015.

"This is the next step in making sure our immigration system is more selective, bringing down net migration from the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands while still welcoming the brightest and the best to Britain," May has been quoted as saying.

"In the long run we're interested in a system of bonds that deters overstaying and recovers costs if a foreign national has used our public services.

"A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with "the most significant risk of abuse".

Last year, 2,96,000 people granted six-month visas were from India, 101,000 from Nigeria, 53,000 from Pakistan and 14,000 each were from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Several hundred visitors will be selected from each country for the trial scheme.

But ministers plan to extend it to all visa types, including work and student visas, and to all countries, although it will not cover every one of the 2.2 million people granted visas each year.

Visitors from the rest of the European Union (EU) will be exempt, because they do not require visas.

A second category will cover lower risk countries such as Kenya, where British officials believe the applicant to be genuine but have "residual doubts" about their intentions to return home.

The introduction of these bonds is expected to face criticism from pro-immigration groups because it does not target groups from the so-called "white Commonwealth".

A similar scheme has already been rejected in Canada amid claims that it was unlawful because it discriminated against categories of immigrants.

Link - India among 'high-risk' nations facing hefty visa fee to UK - The Times of India

 

[T90TankGuy]

what do you want to bet our MEA get us off this list?

 

[Safriz]

They got poor....failed to revive economy...now trying to get money from foreighners....shame...

 

[Parul]

Collect more fee, for that you need not blame India as a high risk Nation. This is a unbelievable declaration. Isn't Britain President during his visit said that he'll easier visa system for Indians Is this the one ?

 

[T90TankGuy]

Collect more fee, for that you need not blame India as a high risk Nation. This is a unbelievable declaration. Isn't Britain President during his visit said that he'll easier visa system for Indians Is this the one ?

They have a PM, no president. they do have a queen though.

 

[ApparentRaceTraitor]

This could probably end up being counterproductive with drastic effects on tourism numbers, more over so if it is extended to those coming on business trips ....if anything set a quota on the number of internationals permitted to stay in the U.K

 

[damiendehorn]

I think it's a good idea, should be applied to all visitors regardless from where they come. If you don't plan to overstay then you have nothing to fear, you'll get your money back. If you overstay, the money can help pay to catch you and deport you.

 

[conworldus]

Anyone has a complete list of countries? This is interesting. The UK is clearly aiming to cut down illegal immigration.

 

[Tshering22]

Very nice. Demotivate visitors to your already bankrupt country..

 

[errant]

Very nice. Demotivate visitors to your already bankrupt country..

As it's a bankrupt country it should not bother any Indians. This statement flies in the face of reality as there are numerous people on visitors/students visas, surprise, including Indians who disappear on expiry of their visas.
Begs the question, why do you want to stay in a bankrupt country?

 

[neehar]

As it's a bankrupt country it should not bother any Indians. This statement flies in the face of reality as there are numerous people on visitors/students visas, surprise, including Indians who disappear on expiry of their visas.
Begs the question, why do you want to stay in a bankrupt country?

pehaps because they want us to be there.
DAVID Cameron indicated yesterday that UK visa restrictions could be eased for workers from India - despite the Government's drive to curb the annual net influx of immigrants.
David Cameron: We will ease visa rules to allow more Indians to work here | UK | News | Daily Express
David Cameron Says Britain Will Be 'Incredibly Welcoming' To Indian Students And Businessmen
.thats ofcourse for student visa holders and professionals.when a person is ready to spend about 22ooo pounds for education i dnt think additional 3000 will make any difference to it thats ofcourse he can earn it in a month or two if he gets a job there.

 

[asad71]

WCC (Western Christian Civilization) plan should be clear to see. They want us in the developing world with bulging populations to stay locked into our space. That means around 200 mlln people inside a 58,000 sq mile box in BD. WCC has tried various means to keep non-WCC populations down - family planning programs, harmful medicines, adulterated foods, etc. But we have become huge. SA alone accounts for about 1.50 blln people. Together with China this is half the world's 7 blln. WCC, therefore, worries.

 

[Parul]

They have a PM, no president. they do have a queen though.

My Bad (galti say mishtake ho gayi). Mr. David Cameron and I know Elizabeth II.....

 

[T90TankGuy]

Actually according to the news today , this rule will apply not to every one but will depend on the discretion of the high commission officer.

 

[errant]

No one is disputing that Indians have made considerable contributions to the UK. British defence industries had a number of engineers designing missiles, torpedoes and other defence related material and Indians figured prominently among the designers.
But there have also been numerous illegals in Britain with some estimates being nearly a million(total illegals).
Among these there are a lot of Indians as the study from the LSE has shown. The Home Office says the top five countries from which the illegals have arrived are believed to be India, Nigeria, Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh.

If the UK did not take steps to stop this flood of illegals then it would be considered derelict in executing its duties. Simple.