The Hindu Business Line : UK introducing new point-based visa system

Mumbai, Dec. 11 The UK Government is all set to introduce, early next year, a point-based system to filter the number of applicants seeking to enter the country.

The scheme will initially cover applicants from India and the US, and will shortly be extended to other countries. Mr Geoff Lockwood of the Network Mobilisation Programme, UK Visas, stated this at the sidelines of a press conference.

“Currently, there are 70 to 80 ways (criteria) under which somebody can obtain a visa to go to the UK. We have devised a proper system and brought down the number to just five ways,” Mr Lockwood said.

The move aimed at protecting the UK labour market will screen applicants and the Indian IT industry might be impacted, according to a spokesperson of an IT major.

However, the industry will find a way to improve their processes and work around the problem.

The announcement will be made early next year, said Mr Lockwood, without divulging further details. Currently, there are 20,000 Indian students studying in the UK.

Meanwhile, the British High Commission also announced here, the introduction of a biometrics data collection system in India for being eligible for a UK visa. Anybody travelling to the UK will require their fingerprints scanned and a digital photograph of the face to be taken from one of the 12 UK application centres across India.

“The idea is to control the UK’s borders, reduce identity frauds, identify valued customers and quicken entry into the UK,” said Ms Vicki Treadell, MVO, British Deputy High Commissioner. The system is in place in 120 countries, including Kenya, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Jordan.

Visa process

The biometric identification will have to be done with every visa application and for regular visitors, multiple-entry long-term visas of two to 10 years will be provided based on documentation provided by the traveller.

From next year, UK citizens applying for a passport will also be required to give biometric data, said Ms Treadell.

The entire visa process will take four days instead of the current 24 hours because the Indian Telecommunications Act does not permit the transfer of the data via the Internet.

The British High Commission along with their partners VFS Global will physically transfer the data via pen drive to the UK, which elongates the process, explained Ms Treadell.

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