The British Government is proposing to halve to three months the amount of time all non-European Union visitors can holiday in Britain, with the proposal part of an overhaul of Britain’s visa system to crack down on illegal immigrants and people who work there without the proper authority.
Other proposals include making some British families hand over as much as 1000 (NZ$2600) in a cash bond when relatives who live outside the EU visit them.
The money would be refunded when the visiting relative returns home.
There are also plans to create specific business visas, another for one-off events such as the Olympics, plus separate ones for people working in the arts and entertainment industry.
A British Home Office spokesman said if the changes went ahead, tourists wanting to have holidays in Britain would be affected.
A spokesman for the British high commission said officials had been sent the Home Office proposal and were seeking clarification.
The Home Office spokesman said the move would bring Britain into line with other countries, including Australia and the United States, which both have three-month limits for tourists.
The proposed cash bond for visiting relatives is expected to affect only a handful of New Zealanders or Australians who face being denied entry to Britain if they have previously flouted visa rules.
“There are some people who do get turned away because we don’t believe they are coming here as tourists,” the spokesman said.
The bond would also apply to people if they had a history of breaking the rules. “It would be an option open to them to have relatives in Britain sponsor them so they could be allowed to enter.”
British Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said the bond would be required only if there were fears the visiting relative might not return home. “By next spring, we’ll check everyone’s fingerprints when they apply for a visa.
“Now we’re proposing a financial guarantee as well – not for everyone, but where we think there’s a risk.”
A Report by The Mole from AAP
