27 May 2009

Visa agency hits out at way South Africans are being treated by UK immigration

The UK is losing out on tourism from South Africa because of less welcoming visa controls, according to immigration agency, Globalvisas.com,

The agency warned this week that South Africans are turning their back on the UK in favour of countries including Australia, Canada and the US.

It believes South Africans who apply for a UK visa find themselves Ã¢â¬Åâœtreated to a third world service at inflated pricesÃ¢â¬~.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe believe unfair treatment is causing South Africans to reject the UK in favour of pastures new and more welcoming,Ã¢â¬~ said managing director Liam Clifford.

"Individuals have endured unacceptable treatment as systems have failed to work properly, meaning some people have lost their visa fees through no fault of their own.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœProblems have occurred at the hands of VFS Global, the private company employed to issue visas in South Africa, and the shortcomings of the UK immigration department and its appointed agent have resulted in South Africans seeking to go elsewhere.

"It is heinous that South Africans are losing their money and, often, the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to the UK, without any chance of an appeal.

"The way UK Plc is treating South Africans may finally bring to an end a long-standing love affair, as South Africans look to new destinations which offer a warm welcome and friendship. Maybe it's time to charge UK nationals a large visa fee to visit South Africa for their holiday!"

Over the last few years, UK immigration controls have been tightened and in the last move a charge of Ã&#pound;50 has been introduced for South Africans to wait in UK domestic airports while flying on to another country.

A 10-year multiple entry visitor visa now costs Ã&#pound;500, while a Skilled Working visa (Tier 1) costs Ã&#pound;680.

By Bev Fearis

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Your Comments (5)

It's time we all realised

It is a fact that visa fees, once a small figure that simply helped to defray the costs of issue, are now becoming an importent revenue stream as governments everywhere are running short of cash. So far as governments are concerned, they have a monopoly in visa issue and can therefore charge as much as they like for the service. What most governments fail to realise is that, although they do have a monopoly insofar as issue of their own visas is concerned, they do not have a monopoly of destination. Most leisure travellers have a choice of destination, and, as some governments already finding, high visa fees and obstructive entry policies do cause a drop-off in visitor numbers. How long it will be before they realise how counter-productive such restrictions are is anyone's guess - I suspect it will be a long time before even the British government, ruling as it does over one of the world's most important destinations, comes to its senses in this regard.

By Richard English, Monday, June 1, 2009
THIS IS GOING TO COST A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF MONEY

A South African friend of mine had a bad experience a few weeks ago when a very good friend diesd of cancer.He was to fly Hong Kong to London to attend funeral,and alas online bookings where not to provide the correct info for a SA Citizen to fly sans visa,he got left behind as no one told him he needed a visa and missed the funeral

By Penelope Bannerman, Thursday, May 28, 2009
Standing up for the UK

I would just like to remind you that it may be expensive for South Africans to go to the UK but believe it or not - it is just as expensive to come to SA. I am a UK national and it has cost me the equivalent of 500 pounds to get a working visa for just 1 year in your country and it was difficult to get even that. I have met many South Africans who say that it is difficult to get a visa for the UK and yes that must be very frustrating I agree. But I wish people would understand that there are already around 600,000 South Africans living in the UK, not to mention 1000's of other immigrants from all over the world. The UK is a tiny overcrowded place, I am not suprised they are making it more difficult to let people in. We are literally bombarded with immigrants from all over the world. How must our government be able to tell the difference between an illegal immigrant with all the right documents and a genuine tourist?

By Rosie dyer, Thursday, May 28, 2009
Victimising the innocent

As a dual passport holder, I am thankfully immune from this latest nonsense. However, I see South African colleagues getting frustrated and looking for alternate destinations and transit points. Sadly, the measures taken will only deter the genuine visitors. Those with criminal intent and fraudulent documents will still be able to travel.

By Adrian Schofield, Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Government lost the plot years ago

If it wasn't so tragic, it would be funny. Government, by its own admission 'hosts' thousands of illegal immigrants in holding centres at vast cost to the exchequer and then makes it as difficult as possible for genuine tourists to visit the UK. No wonder the UK loses ground to other countries more welcoming to tourists. Maybe one day government will wake up and realise that it has done more to harm inbound tourism to Britain than any perceived benfit.....but I'm not holding my breath!

By Richard Tobias OBE, Wednesday, May 27, 2009