/24-7PressRelease/ - NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 08, 2007 - The joint announcement by the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office follows the biggest shake up of the UK's immigration system in its history last summer by the Home Secretary. Under the new visa fee which will come into effect from April 1, this year, the basic visitor visa fee would go up from 50 pounds (Rs 4,250 approx) to 63 pounds, student visa fee from 85 pounds to 99 pounds, Long Term Visa (including Work Permit and Highly Skilled Migrant Programme Visa) from 85 to 200 pounds and settlement Visa from 260 to 500 pounds. The transit visa fee would go up from 30 pounds to 44 pounds.
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said "We believe that it is fair that those who benefit most from using our immigration system - those who come here to live and work - should pay more to fund it. "
I personally agree with the minister and feel that as long as the extra cost improves the services and quality of UK immigration system the price hike is fair. Presently the average time taken to schedule an interview for a working holidaymaker is over 1 year. With better resources I feel that the services would improve and the waiting time would come down.
For settlement and returning residents, I feel the hike is a bit steep and would affect the applicants adversely as the hike is almost 100%. The fees for student visa have been increased marginally to maintain the competitive edge of the British Education system.
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