UKTamilNews.com

UK denying visas to local students

by admin on Sep.06, 2009, under Tamil Eelam

Many students planning to return to their universities to complete their degree programmes following the summer vacation, and those seeking to receive fresh admission to universities in the UK, are facing many difficulties due to the rejection of their UK visa applications.

Most of these students would miss out on the first few lessons of the new semester. Visa Services Colombo Consultant Preethika Silva told The Sunday Leader that visa applications forwarded by students who were in Sri Lanka during the summer vacations, as well as new students, have been rejected. The reason for this mass rejection of UK visa applicants has been attributed to the ‘fast changing criteria’ the UK Border Agency uses in granting visas.

Silva said the rejection of visa applications was mainly due to the Point Based System introduced by the Border Agency, where visas are approved according to points received by the applicants.

“The rules and regulations keep changing so fast that the students cannot cope with it,” she said. She explained that the problem faced by the students concerns the question on the maintenance fund where students are required to show they possess sufficient funds for the completion of the course. Meeting this requirement adds 10 points to the visa application.

A student seeking admission to a university in London is required to show the availability of 800 pounds for a period of nine months in his/her account under the maintenance fund question.

Silva noted that although the required amount is 800 pounds, certain questions in the visa application form on funds available to the applicant has made it important for the applicants to show all the funds in their possession. “If the applicant has not given the entire funds available, the Chennai officer rejects the application form,” she said.

The visa applications have so far been rejected on the basis of insufficient fund availability.

Therefore, any student applying for a visa needs to have between Rs. 8-13 million in his/her account. Previously, students were required to show funds amounting to one year’s course fees in their bank account, in addition to other assets.

Students returning within four months are required to show a two-month maintenance fund (800 pounds per month for a university in London and 600 pounds per month for a university out of London).

“We have now asked all students to write down their entire funds to prevent any confusion,” Silva said.

When asked if many students have been refused visas to the UK, Silva said that there were quite a few, and that they would even miss out on the first part of their semester if the applications are not processed fast.

She said that when a visa is rejected it takes time for the applicant to re-apply. However,  delays are possible because of the backlog created by new applications, which are processed along with re-applications. British High Commission Spokesperson Dominic Williams was not available for comment


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