E-Paper
UK effecting changes in visa services: UK envoy
To make things easier for students and businessmen, the visa office will have one-stop shop for advice.
The United Kingdom was going to effect some changes in visa services, including introduction of bio-metric recognition, in the next two to three years for those seeking immigration, British High Commissioner to India Sir Michael Arthur said on Friday.
"Bio-metric recognition process is happening everywhere in Europe. In future the authorities clearing visas for UK will need to take finger prints of the applicants," he said.
"Now the regular and trusted travellers can apply for eye recognition. It takes ten minutes to take photograph of the eye. With the introduction of this facility in the next two years the businessmen will not wait in queue in front of immigration offices," he said.
To make things easier for students and businessmen, the visa office will have one-stop shop for advice, he said.
For the work permit operation, a new point-based system was introduced to enable UK to control migration more effectively, tackle abuse and identify the most talented workers, Arthur said.
"To ensure that only those who benefit Britian can come here to work or study... Its (points-based system) implementation is a key Government priority", he said, adding it will also help in cracking down illegal immigration.
Key elements of the system included consolidating more than 80 existing work and study routes into five tiers - highly skilled, skilled and low skilled workers, students and temporary workers.
