2000 retired British Army Gurkhas to settle in UK
Expressindia
Posted: Oct 15, 2008 at 1752 hrs IST
London, October 15: More than 2,000 Gurkhas who had retired from the British Army before 1997 will now be able to settle down in the UK following the passage of a new bill in the House of Lords.
The Immigration (discharged Gurkhas) Bill, adopted in the House without a vote, amends the Immigration Rules in connection with the requirements for indefinite leave to enter and remain in the United Kingdom as a Gurkha discharged from the army.
The Act comes into force at the end of a period of three months beginning with the day on which it is passed.
The Nepalese Gurkhas have been part of the British Army for nearly 200 years and at present, there are 3,400 Gurkhas in the United Kingdom forces, 700 of whom are in Brunei.
In September, a High Court judge had condemned the immigration policy on former Gurkha soldiers as unlawful and ordered the UK government to urgently review immigration guidelines.
