LONDON: Britain is planning to force visitors from Pakistan, India, Nigeria and other countries whose nationals are deemed to pose a "high risk" of immigration abuse to provide a cash bond before they can enter the country, a report said Sunday.
The Sunday Times newspaper said that from November, a pilot scheme would target visitors from those three countries plus Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.
Visitors aged 18 and over would be forced to hand over $4,600 from November for a six-month visit visa.
They will forfeit the money if they overstay in Britain after their visa has expired.
Initially the scheme will target hundreds of visitors, but the plan is to extend it to several thousand, according to the broadsheet's front-page report.
The weekly paper said the move by 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.
The populist United Kingdom Independence Party has been encroaching on the Conservatives' traditional core vote in recent months.
Cameron wants annual net migration down 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 was 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 296,000 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.
COMMENTS (25)
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the bond amount will be given back to visitors once they leave the country within the specified time period. Brits just want to target illegal people. If someone is really dishonest, they really should charge him penalty in form of bond. Statement is simple. Dishonest people will be charged penalty as Honest people not only will have a good immigration records but also will take back their bond amount.
Sense is required to hit the target :)
This is a very bad treatment given by the British Authorities.
@anwar:
The bigotry, hypocrisy and irony cuts in so many ways...
Much the best,excellent and august step taken by British government because thus excessive immigration to UK from Pakistan shall be declined because UK itself is facing severe joblessness' problems in UK and mostly Pakistanis when enter UK they start work on even low daily wages in UK illegally and unlawfully and this creates problems for UK's jobless people.....
@AKBAR:
Visit Visas are privilege not right. you can't complain for not giving you privileges :)
@unbelievable: The bond should be large enough to reimburse the State in the event it has to track down and deport the “visitor” (say a million dollar bond).
That means only "rich" people will be able to get the Visa and born poor will not have any chance to "change their life".
A lot of Indians who are millionaires in US/UK/Canada came with less then $10 in their pockets. Western countries offer unlimited opportunities to hard working as well as dishonest people.
The bond requirement is fair, but the British gov't should pay competitive interest for the time it has possession of funds.
@AKBAR: What is inhuman about this?
lol.. Usually my visa and stay expenses are borne by UK companies, now they has to bear this also if they want me to continue my service to them..
lets stop going to UK at all and kill their tourism like they do it by fighting their wars in this land
@AKBAR: Saudi Arabia does it yet you don't complain. Try overstaying there and see how the Ummatis treat you.
We All Knew Brit Economy Is Sinking. These Are Desperate Measures To Inject Extra Cash Into Sinking Economy.
I am just amazed at how tolerant the British have been. If I were British I would put strict limit on emigrants that can enter Britain. I certainly would not allow uneducated emigrants into the country. Just looking from the British view point before some flames me.
A small price to change ones life :)
@unbelievable: "qualified insurance companies and the cost of the bond" your idea will make MULLAHS to register themselves as INSURERS now ))))
I suggest that both the USA and UK require surety bonds for visitors from 3'rd World countries who have incentive to illegally stay in their countries. The bond should be large enough to reimburse the State in the event it has to track down and deport the "visitor" (say a million dollar bond). The visitor would have to purchase the surety bond from a list of approved/qualified insurance companies and the cost of the bond would vary based on the insurance companies assessment of risk.
It's their country, and they can set whatever rules they see fit. They're under no obligation to pander to the requirements of any other countries whatsoever.
It's funny how my fellow Pakistanis cry foul every time other countries to improve the integrity of their visa systems. Handy tip: Don't abuse or rort the system and this wont happen.
As a Punjabi I agree with the Brits, We are already overrun by Urdu speaking foreigners.
what a cheap shot by queen and last time they did it this kind of thing but thank to BJP govt in india when they put ten thousand pound bonds on English tourist every thing got normal.
About time, but I feel this will become a money making scheme for some scrupulous " visa agent" illegal overstayers have caused a massive effect on those living here legally,vis a vis employment.
So the masters of humanity/ human rights and free world are now turning to such techniques that breach all their humanitarian free world rules!!!!!!!
This is funny and , interestingly, shows the western hypocrites true nature.. By the way for slave minded people of South Asia this deviation from the western civilized norm will become an example of civilized world
hahahaha and yet the queue of visa seekers will keep getting longer - pathetic !