UK Immigration News

The UK Home Affairs Select Committee has criticized the money UK Border Agency's (UKBA) has spent on the IRIS biometric scanning system saying it would have been better used to pay for more immigration staff.

The British Embassy in Bangkok introduced this week a priority visa service for Thai citizens applying for UK visitor visas. The visa service allows eligible applicants to pay an additional fee in order to have their UK visa application expedited.The new service costs 3,000 Baht (£60) and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) expects to process priority visa applications within three working days.

UK Tier 2 visa route changes from 6 April 2012Due to the UK Government's commitment to reducing overall net migration, they have decided that the Tier 2 (General) limit will remain at its current level of 20,700 skilled workers for 2012/13 and 2013/14. The annual limit begins each year on 6 April. There is no limit on the number of workers coming to the UK to do jobs with an annual salary of £150,000 or higher.

Business owners have criticized the UK government's decision to close the Tier 1 post-study work (PSW) visa saying that it makes it more difficult for companies to fill vacancies that require specialized skills.

The UK Border Agency announced that from 5 April 2012 they will resume full visa services in Libya. The UK visa service was originally closed in February 2011 due to increased violence at that time.

UK airlines are warning of potential delays at airports during Easter and during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations due to tougher immigration checks at border control.