You'd think in a country hit by economic times, loosing it's industry under Thatcher, a country like the UK would welcome tourists and their pennies and pounds that they spend. You are welcome, if your not from India, Pakistan and other "at risk countries" although the concise list hasn't been announce it's thought to include such Middle East countries.
The news of these (yet another change) to UK immigration and the granting of visas, this time for tourists seems to have broken and be more apparent in the Indian news organisations (aside from the Guardian) but yet again the UK seems to be going with the assumptions of those who fear and distrust those outside of the UK borders. It's constantly, us against them. Now to gain a tourist visas, any one from such countries in the future may have have to pay up to $4,600 bond to limit their chances of them overstaying their visa. The government who are on a mission to reduce net migration by 100,000 argue they are now attempting to deal with their new immigration issue - those entering legally, and then turn illegal when they overstay their welcome.
It just seems as someone now an immigrant, now at expat that the UK is doing everything to discourage anyone from entering the UK even just for a holiday. If your not rich enough, or white enough they don't want you. These assumptions towards visitors from certain countries are disgrace and just play into the extremes of UKIP. To many, the UK is closing, and closing quickly. The original ideas are being readdressed as I type this, perhaps they won't end up being as ridiculous as the claims that are going around the Indian press right now, but the notion and the fact that they are considering it, speaks for itself.
Oddly enough googling "You're not welcome" for an image for this post (not that I could find anything) and the first result is about the UK's immigration policies. Says it all.
Oddly enough googling "You're not welcome" for an image for this post (not that I could find anything) and the first result is about the UK's immigration policies. Says it all.
Sometimes it is so hard to determine what is right and not right when it comes to keeping everyone safe. I know there are a lot of countries that I would love to travel too (the UK included) but now I wonder about some of them and how safe I would be.
ReplyDeleteJessica @ Sunny Days and Starry Nights
www.sunnydaystarrynight.com/
Oh I think the UK is safe, safer then the US that is for sure and this isn't really about terrorism, although they'd try and wing that in too. When they say "at risk" they mean they are more at risk from over staying their tourist visas rather then being unlawful.
DeleteIt's like the Tier 4 student visa, just mental. We train/educate some of the most brilliant minds in the world and then go 'Bye' and boot them out.
ReplyDeleteExactly, there's certainly a brain drain going on out of the UK and their policies and how they treat their expats - for example the price of renewing your passport once your outside the UK, it's like they are basically saying screw you.
DeleteI have a lot to say on this topic & UK Immigration in general but I can't quite get it out eloquently enough for your fine blog, so I am just going to say that it doesn't surprise me, after all, the ConDems have to appease the swing voters going towards UKIP & in some cases, even the BNP somehow, but I think it's disgusting, nonetheless.
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