UK to reform visa application process for Sri Lankans

By Roshenka de Mel

Deputy British High Commissioner Mark Gooding and Regional Director of the UK Border Agency, the South Asian division, announced the reform of visa operations with increased restrictions being placed over the allocation of student, work and temporary work visa permits to the UK.

British Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Mark Goodin (right) gestures at the media briefing. Regional Director for the UK Border Agency in South Asia Chris Dix is also present – Pic by Krishan Ranasinghe

Gooding stated: “The UK and Sri Lanka have strong ties across many areas. With the UK coming out of the economic recession, we are looking to enhance business relationships and commercial ties with Sri Lanka and other countries. The UK welcomes legitimate travel by Sri Lankans for business, tourism and educational purposes and we are very proud of the visa operations that exist for Sri Lankans at present.

“Approximately 70% of last year’s visa applications were successful. However we also have to take preventive measures to ensure that the visa system is not abused. Our new operations will ensure the flow of top quality migrants from Sri Lanka to the UK and will prevent our visa system from being exploited.”

Gooding also went on to state that the purpose of tightening visa-processing operations was to ensure that legitimate travel is encouraged and exploitation of the system is discouraged.

Gooding said that a business express visa program would be put into effect shortly to enhance mutually beneficial trade and investment interests for both Sri Lanka and the UK.

Gooding stated: “We will be establishing a Business Express Programme in Sri Lanka in the next month or so. This will provide an expedited visa service to selected businesses that regularly send their employees to the UK for work purposes. The programme will provide business members with an enhanced visa service and support bilateral trade relationships and inward investment in the UK and Sri Lanka. This programme will ensure that visa operations do not act as an impediment to significant companies sending staff on regular work visits to the UK.”

Dix addressed some of the current and future changes that are being made to the visa operations process.

“It is very clear that Britain has and continues to benefit culturally and economically from migration; however it is also very clear that migration needs to be controlled. In keeping with Government policy, the UK wants to reduce net migration from the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands. Net migration to the UK in 2010 totalled over 230,000. Our Government is committed to reducing this figure to the tens of thousands.”

Dix went on to explain that reducing net migration was in no way meant to reduce visits to the UK. He stated: “Reducing net migration doesn’t reduce legitimate travel being made to the UK, it ensures that those who visit, leave the UK at the end of their stay and those who still haven’t leave as well. What we don’t want is temporary stays be extended to permanent ones.”

Dix explained that changes would be made to tighten regulations for those applying for a UK visa along the work, student and temporary work route. Commenting on how visa regulations would be reformed for students.

“We want to attract more high quality students from Sri Lanka to go to high quality educational institutions in the UK, however we also want to target and penalise those who seek to abuse the system, not just individuals but agents as well. This includes poor quality colleges who are responsible for encouraging the abuse of the visa system by bringing across students on the pretence of receiving an education. To stop this, we are changing the way colleges are accredited, how students become eligible for study in the UK, we are also making changes to a student’s entitlement to stay in the UK after they complete their degree.

“From April 2012, students will have to be studying at a publically funded university if they want to work in the UK for the duration of their degree. This change is being made because we’ve noticed that the motivation for many people applying for student visas isn’t entirely related to the enhancement of their education, but is often fuelled by a motive to work in the UK or bring across a dependent to work in the UK.

“Under the new rules, dependents will only be allowed to accompany a student if the student is going to the UK for a minimal 12 month period of postgraduate study. If someone is applying for a UK student visa, they should be completely focused on receiving the best possible educational experience made available to them not exploiting work opportunities in the UK.”

With regard to further changes being implemented, Dix stated: “The work and temporary work visa route will also undergo further reform. The British Government will target a total cap of 21,700 of global work visas to be issued to the UK each year. The Government wants to reserve the right to bring only the brightest and best minds to work in the country. From 1 April 2011, new post-study work visa regulations will also be implemented. Currently international graduates have been allowed access to the UK labour market for two years upon their graduation. From next year, International graduates who want to remain in the UK to work will have to get a job with an employer licensed by the government to employ foreign nationals.

“Of all students who were issued visas to the UK five years ago, one-third is still in the country. If a Sri Lankan applicant acquires a student visa to complete a degree course, if he shows he’s truly exceptional, he may be given the opportunity to work in the UK and stay permanently, or he may not. As part of our government policy, the UK wants to break the link between temporary work visits and permanent residency.”

Dix in his address also drew attention to the excessive forgery attempts being made by Sri Lankan visa applicants: “There are approximately 200 fraudulent visa documents submitted by applicants in Colombo each day. We want to encourage applicants not to do this as it incurs a 10 year ban from entry to the UK and the local police authorities will take action against those who submit forged documents.”

When asked about genuine applicants who are denied entry to the UK, Gooding stated: “It’s unfortunate but the guidelines have been set to prevent the visa system from being exploited. We encourage legitimate travel to the UK by Sri Lankans and we try to make the process as clear as possible. We also encourage consultation agencies and other parties to provide their feedback as this helps us to further streamline the entire visa processing operation.”

“We recognise that the UK visa operation is a crucial ingredient in Sri Lanka-UK relations. These new regulations and reforms will increase legitimate travel by Sri Lankans to the UK and decrease exploitation of the visa system. The UK values Sri Lankan contributions to the country and we looks forward to more high quality students and exceptionally skilled individuals contributing further,” he added.

Following the end of a two-decade long war, Sri Lanka has enjoyed increased stability on numerous fronts. After the war ended, 2010 saw 555 Sri Lankans return to Sri Lanka from the UK voluntarily. The search for a better life, improved standards of living, greater stability, high quality education and better work opportunities are all key factors contributing to high Sri Lankan demand for travel to the UK. With the war over, a major motivator for acquiring permanent residency in the UK has been somewhat eliminated, the extent of which still remains to be seen.

As permanent residency in the UK becomes almost unobtainable for Sri Lankans, and deportation of illegal Sri Lankan immigrants increases, the UK is claiming to keep the doorway to temporary visits open and encouraging Sri Lankans to make legitimate short term visits to the UK for business, educational and tourism purposes.