This week, British Deputy High Commissioner for India, Bharat Joshi revealed that the number of Indian nationals applying for UK Business visas has increased by 12% over the last year. Due to the high volume of Indian nationals applying for visas to come to the UK, a number of new Visa Application Centres (VAC) have opened in India with improved visa services.
Bid to Attract More Indian Nationals to the UK
Iritish Deputy High Commissioner, Bharat Joshi revealed that the number of Indian nationals applying for Business visas has increased by 12% between October 2013 to September 2014. Whilst at the Great British festival in Kerala, India, which is organised to strengthen relations between the UK and India Mr Joshi stated:
“Great supports the U.K’s goal of being India’s partner of choice, including by doubling trade between our two countries, by 2015.We’re on track: last year, UK exports to India were up 14% and India’s exports to the U.K. were up two%. The U.K. is the biggest European Union investor in India, and India invests more in the U.K. than it does to the rest of the EU put together.”
Another positive step in improving the relationship between the UK and India is the educational scholarships provided by UK Universities to Indian students has increased by 50% during 2014-15 amounting to £1.5 million.
Visa Application Centres in India Improve Visa Services
Earlier this year the UK government highlighted the opening of new Visa Application Centre’s (VAC’s) in Mumbai and Kolkata, which they hoped signal their intentions to improve visa services provided to Indians wishing to come to the UK. The new visa centres offer upgraded services with “state of the art facilities”. In respect of the visa centre in Kolkata, the British Deputy High Commissioner to eastern India, Scott Furssedonn-Wood, commented that there was a need for improved services due to the fact that applications for UK visas had increased.
Last year, in a bid to attract rich tourists and business executives to the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron introduced the super priority service in India. The super priority visa service is a 24 hour service aimed at those who need to travel urgently and is part of the UK Government’s efforts to attract more tourism and investment in Britain.
The super priority visa service is available to applicants who:
- Are applying for a 6 month or 2 year multiple entry visitor visa (excluding student visit visas);
- Have travelled without difficulty in the last 5 years to one of the following countries: UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or a Schengen country;
- Are employees of companies that are members of the Business Express Programme (managed by UK Trade and Investment in India) and are travelling as an official business visitor.
Successful UK Business Visa Applications & Appeals for Indian Migrants
If you wish to come to the UK to visit, study, work or settle, our team of experienced and professionally qualified immigration solicitors and barristers will be able to guide you through the process of making a visa application step by step and limit the possibility of failure by complying with the strict letter of law.
We also undertake a great deal of appeal work before the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal and have a successful track record of successful results for our clients. We have the experience and the knowledge required to take your case forward successfully. If you have had a visa refused, contact us to discuss your case so that we can provide you with a case assessment.
Contact us so that we can review your case and provide you with an assessment.