Kiwis visiting UK take note

[MotherBear]

Visitors to UK face tough new visa rules
5:00AM Thursday December 20, 2007
By Tony Gee

New Zealand tourists wanting to travel to the UK next year may have their six month visas halved to three months under tough new rules outlined by the British Government.

The proposal, from the British Home Office, would apply to all non-European Union travellers and is aimed at stopping overstaying by tourists in the UK.

Another move, outlined in a consultation paper unveiled this week by UK Immigration Minister Liam Byrne, would require some UK families to pay a cash deposit of up to ?1000 ($2663) for every relative from anywhere outside the EU who visits Britain.

Families whose relatives did not return home on time would risk forfeiting the money.

More here .

[KiwiHopeful]

Wow, way to roll out the welcome mat. Before you'll know it, the UK will be fingerprinting its 'guests' the way the US does.

When is this insanity going to end?

[Taffy]

How is halving the length of the visa going to stop people staying past the end of it?

[MotherBear]

Originally Posted by Taffy

How is halving the length of the visa going to stop people staying past the end of it?

I've been pondering on this as well.

Also can't figure out why they should penalise UK families who have visitors whilst omitting ordinary tourists who are just as likely to overstay.

[KiwiHopeful]

Yeah, and I wonder who this is really aimed at:

or every relative from anywhere outside the EU who visits Britain.

.

So if you come from India, or Pakistan, or Thailand, or Brazil, or any other place people have brown skin, fork over the dough. Whites from the EU? Well, I guess they're just more trustworthy. No wonder they don't want Turkey in the EU.

And, please, don't take this as me singling out the UK ... we have more than our share of ridiculously xenophobic and racist laws.

[nickydwuk]

I think the UK immigration policy is absolutely nuts. For a small island who should be tightly controlling the numbers that come in we have opened our doors to all members of the EU without checking how they intend to support themselves or their personal character. If they are to impose these sanctions on non EU citizens surely they need to tighten up on EU citizens as well as get cracking with sending illegal immigrants back to their home countries. The government are constantly going on about how all the services are overstretched and how there is not enough housing - by limiting the number of immigrants from all countries it gives the government chance to get the infrastructure in place to cater for the increased numbers.

As a potential immigrant to NZ - if they will have me - I will be looking at things from the other side of the fence soon. Even so I appreciate the way NZ limit the number of immigrants and how they select who is to come in to the country. As an island of similar size to the UK they seem to be on the right track. Why can't the UK adopt this approach instead of charging people to stay longer - 'cos that what it seems to come down to.

Sorry, my rant is over. I just feel the UK is too overcrowded which is one of the reasons for moving to NZ and that poorly controlled immigration is oart of the reason.