Britain stops northern Indian student visas after flood of applicants
Jeremy Page in Delhi
From The Times
February 1, 2010
Britain has temporarily suspended student visa applications in northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh from today following a sudden spike in numbers, throwing thousands of prospective students plans into confusion.
The UK Borders Agency (UKBA) said the suspension would remain in place for at least a month while it investigates whether the increase was caused by agents filing false applications to get people into Britain for work or other purposes.
British officials say that the system was overwhelmed with 13,500 applications from northern India in the last three months of 2009, compared with 1,800 during the same period of 2008.
India is home to Britains largest visa operation in the world, with an estimated 500,000 Indians visiting every year, including thousands of students. We have temporarily stopped accepting new applications from North India, Nepal and Bangladesh while we carry out an investigation to ensure they are all genuine, said Jeremy Oppenheim, of the UKBA. We will take tough action against those who attempt to abuse the system.
The suspension of the applications follows revelations in The Times last year that that tens of thousands of foreign nationals have been living in Britain for years under the false cover given by hundreds of bogus colleges in London, Bradford and Manchester.
In response, the Home Office announced it was holding a review of student visas by the Home Office and Department for Business to consider raising the minimum level of course for which foreign students can get a visa.
This month the Conservatives proposed requiring foreign students to post a bond of up to 6,000 with the Home Office before starting a three-year course in Britain.
Sir Richard Stagg, the British High Commissioner in Delhi, emphasised that the suspension of applications was not aimed at legitimate students from India.
This temporary measure is designed to protect genuine students, professional agents and good education providers from anyone who is not currently playing by the rules, he said. I am confident that a normal visa service will be resumed in good time for students who want to study in the UK in the next academic year.
But the move has still raised fears that legitimate students may face delays in their visa applications, as the UKBA has said only that it will review the suspension after one month.
Those who have already made appointments at visa applications centres in North India will have those meetings suspended. While visa centres elsewhere in India will continue to accept applications, they will require appointments with each applicant starting from today, potentially slowing down the process.
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COMMENTS:
Sayed Habib wrote:
Many of the comments from foreign students suggest they are doing all of us a favour by studying in the UK and spending there money. Many seems to completely ignore the facts that much of the fees are generated in the UK by the students themselves working illegally. And most students send large amount of money home, this is one of the main reason why they continue to stay in the UK as bogus student and many are here as economic migrant. These students with the aid of our own British fraudster have created a culture of fraud and deception in many parts of the UK. I see this everyday in east London, where many of these so called colleges are run or teach by people who can not speak a reasonable standard of English. Also many colleges do not have enough chairs or table.
February 4, 2010 8:22 PM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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sasidhar vasili wrote:
@ complex disorder…I did not get my visa from a street vendor… I got my visa with British High Commission in India, I explained what happens in reality and how UK universities trap Indian students.., Please read your own comments.. and they speak clearly who got the complex disorder.. who can only see slums in India and beggars in Indians and nothing more., I wonder why u still have the name of slumdogs.. and why cant u appreciate the culture and background of ur own parents.. and Iam not the one whoz drinking the milk frm the taps of UK.. despite having huge tracts of land..
February 2, 2010 12:40 AM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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Vikram de wrote:
For your information vasili
I come from a land owning family with hugh tracts off land and a rich history
February 2, 2010 12:17 AM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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Vikram de wrote:
@vasili
One seems to have a complex disorder,one has realised that one has spent ones families life savings ,and the uk is not paved with gold and running taps off milk and honey.Reality has set in one should have not listened to the street vendors selling uk visas, if one was so bright one should have qeustioned ones self as to why are they not in the uk ? the vendors who helped one to geta visa.
February 2, 2010 12:07 AM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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sasidhar vasili wrote:
@Vikram What benefits does International Students claim from UK government, We pay thousand and thousand of pounds and get a degree worth of nothing., I have come here on my own to realise my dreams, I am not someone born here for immigrants who come to do cheap labour jobs in 60's on ships to work in coal mines and to lay railway tracks…, I am not a hypocrite enjoying every benefit from UK and back stabbing my own roots..
February 1, 2010 11:52 PM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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sasidhar vasili wrote:
If India had colonized Europe of Africa for centuries we would have been a super power long before.. read the history of developed countries before commenting on developing countries.
February 1, 2010 11:44 PM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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Vikram de wrote:
@Fred
One is making assumptions ,how can one compare british council estates on the same billing as the much vaunted slumdog rabies, hepatitus, and the rest one is dillusional at best at worst mr crazy
February 1, 2010 11:43 PM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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sasidhar vasili wrote:
@Vikram de, no matter how much you comment in favour of British., you will still be called an Indian guy by British no matter how well you speak in British Accent.. or advocate and Support Pro..British comments… you are simply insulting and embarrassing yourself.. and making fun of people who come to study and work hard.., If they say you guys it also refers you…
@Judy yes… I would have been happy if I haven't came to this country, I am not insulting this country, my anger is only against the tactics used by British Universities to attract students and what they do to them once they arrive here..
February 1, 2010 11:43 PM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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Vikram de wrote:
Frank
For your information i am employed in the financial sector
February 1, 2010 11:36 PM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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Fred Uppal wrote:
Vikram de
I think its quite rich that you are trying to dismiss his points based on grammatical points, When you yourself have not even bothered to use capital letters or any grammar at all. You did not even use full stops.
You are also basing your ideals off a film set in the slums, hence the name “slumdog millionair” Would you use a film based in the council estates of Britain to represent Britain as a whole?
No of course not. Please stop with this backward logic, You are just embarrassing yourself and Britain. He has a university Degree, what do you have? I think we know which one is more educated.
Again, Non EU immigrants can not claim benefits, but still pay tax.
February 1, 2010 11:14 PM GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
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