UK mission by year end,will not issue visas

“We will open the one in Chandigarh sooner rather than later. Hopefully,we will cut the red ribbon (inaugurate it) by the end of this year. A British diplomat will head this mission,” he said while addressing the media here.

Besides Punjab and Haryana,the new Chandigarh office will also be responsible for Britain’s relationship with the states of Himachal Pradesh,Uttrakhand and Rajasthan.

“We are particularly keen to develop a stronger relation with states like Punjab,Haryana,Chandigarh and other states in the region. We are looking for partnership in trade and investment,education and English teaching and research,” he said adding that British establishments can help in the infrastructure sector,like roads and highways,in this region.

However,the new mission would not issue visas. “The present system of visas will continue as we have 11 VFS offices – including one each in Chandigarh and Jalandhar – in India. The final decision on granting visa will be taken in Delhi as per the current practice’’,he added.

No TB screening for visitor’s visa

He also clarified that those applying for visitor’s visa (for less than six months) would not be screened for tuberculosis. “The screening would apply to those who are coming to Britain for over six months,” he said,putting to rest the apprehensions that all those seeking visa to the UK will be required to undergo TB test

“I am sure 75 per cent of applicants will not be affected by this (the new norm) as they apply for visitors’ visa,” he said,adding that it still needs to be worked out as to who will issue the medical certificates.

Skilled labour welcome

Maintaining that Indians were always welcome to UK,he said that to suggest that the door is closed is not true and added the “adjustments” in the rules were made to stop illegal immigrants and reduce the overall number of immigrants by letting in those who Britain thinks can contribute to the economy at the time of economic hardships.

“We have been hit by recession… We are also serious in allowing the right kind of skilled immigrants,for example the IT professionals,” Bevan said,adding Britain had made exception to their rules to allow inter-company transfer without any limit in the IT sector.

On a question related to illegal immigrants,he said there were many of them in UK including a larger proportion from Punjab and added he does not have exact figures for this.

“We are working closely with the Indian authorities to curb this,” he said.

Big bonanza for students

Bevan,who was here to meet the politicians,bureaucrats and members of the business community,informed that they have started a Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme,under which a young entrepreneur will get a student entrepreneur or a graduate entrepreneur visa if he/she has any big business idea and wants to invest.

Keeping in view that the students raise loans to fund their education in UK,Britain has introduced a new scheme recently,where the students can have right to stay in the country for another three years.

“A condition has been put that the students need to get a graduate level job at graduate level salary (for the three year extended stay)”.