Immigration Deposit.

[algy]

Question posed on 8am ITV news this morning:-

"should people from outside the UK visiting this country be forced to pay a deposit to discourage them from overstaying their welcome in the country".

Yes! and a large one at that!.

[Cleopatra]

I really don't think it will make any difference. Foreign visitors with the intention of staying in the uk often borrow vast amounts of money to stick into a bank account as proof that they can support themselves while in the uk. That has to be paid back to the lender/s with interest so losing a few pounds deposit for overstaying their visa will not have much affect.

[Nick Tessla]

I can't see it helping our tourism industry.

[wolfie]

Quoting Obs last post in 'Budget Day'

 

"I find it amazing, that having had my view on immigration distorted and ridiculed to a surreal point, we're now back on the subject (which I didn't begin btw). My view is fairly simple: by all means "foreigners" should be welcomed to this country as tourists, bona fide students (bringing in money) and as required skills workers - on time limited visas, issued, following application and interview at a British Embassy in the country of origin. The fact that a skills shortage can be identified by the importation of foreign labour, merely condemns the inadequacy of Education and Training in this Country, to fill those job vacancies"

[Cleopatra]

I can't see it helping our tourism industry.

 

It won't help the tourist industry because many potential tourists would say 'Pfffft! B*ll**ks to that, we'll go somewhere else!'  

The idiots in government are clutching at straws and pulling any insane ideas out of the air. They have no clue!

[algy]

There are foreigners who enter the UK under the pretence that they are visiting relatives and friends and simply 'disappear' and rarely seen again, not all illegagal immigents are 'rag arsed' and penniless and enter in the back of lorries and wheelie bins, they are the ones who should pay a large deposit to ensure they only stay there alloted time here, again bogus students are another group who blend in to our population. These are not isolated cases but a real problem that requires addressing.

[Bazj]

Cleo.... Egypt have a similar ripoff for tourists.... It is called a tourist Visa and they practically insist you pay for one when you arrive at the airport at Sharm..... they do this by telling you that you need them to be able to go on any trips such as into the desert or scuba diving etc.

[Cleopatra]

Ok, Algy, those who apply for a visa stating that they are visiting friends/relations are required to furnish their own details including home address with proof that they do live there and proof of their employment in their own country with several payslips and bank statements and a stamped and recorded statement from their employer stating that the visa applicant has the employers permission to be absent from work for the duration of the visit. Apart from his/her own details the visa applicant must produce a letter of invitation from said friend/relation in the uk together with proof of address (energy bills for several periods) and a 12 month bank statement to prove that the person inviting is well situated to provide for the visitor without any need to claim for support from the government authorities.

With all required documents available the visa applicant is invited for interview to an agency called World Bridge who will examine the documentation and also carry out an eye identification procedure. Fully satisfied that they have all the required information, World Bridge will then pass on everything to the british embassy, where someone sat behind a desk will examine everything then say if or not the applicant will be granted a visa. It really isn't as easy to get a visa to enter the uk as people might believe so I really cannot say how or why illegal immigrants are being able to enter the country via the normal routes.

[Cleopatra]

Cleo.... Egypt have a similar ripoff for tourists.... It is called a tourist Visa and they practically insist you pay for one when you arrive at the airport at Sharm..... they do this by telling you that you need them to be able to go on any trips such as into the desert or scuba diving etc.

 

Tourist visas are not peculiar to Egypt alone. You require a visa to visit any country outside of the european union. The good thing about Egypt is that you can buy your vias on arrival, if you did not obtain one from your country of deprture beforehand. If it's a rip off in Egypt to require a visa of entry then it's a rip off in every other  country, including th uk.

[observer]

IF - the application process at a British Embassy in the Country of origin was thorough enough, and checks made to confirm such things as the bona fides of the University in the case of student visas, and advanced payment to that Uni of fees being made, a charge may seem uneccesary.  However, a charge for admin costs in tightening up the visa process, may be warranted imo.  There's another addition that I would suggest, and that would be a requirement for a medical examination to screen out (as far as is possible), any contagious diseases; given that cases of anti-biotic resistant infections are now being imported (EG. cases of TB from Russia). The second string to any effective enforcement of visa controls, is the abilty or otherwise of the Police and UKBF to track and monitor visa conditions, once applicants arrive in the UK.  Of course, illegal immigrants won't have a visa, or will have outstayed their visa time limit, so we have to ask whether we have the resources and legal powers to actually find and apprehend them, and return them home asap? EG. the Police, UKBF and Local Authorities are already engaged in a resource consuming exercise of finding trafficked persons and known areas of abuse of illegals (EG use of rear sheds for multiple accomadation by unscrupulous landlords); but once found, illegal immigrants will plead assylum, tieing up or our courts system with HR cases at OUR expense in legal aid. Of course this still leaves the problem of the EU and the "free movement of labour"; it still leaves issues such as benefit tourism and abuse of the NHS; and still leaves questions about the capacity of our Local Authorities to cope with a perverse increase in demand for services.

[Cleopatra]

There is already an administrative charge made, payable at the time of application for a visa. In the event of a visa not be granted the charge is not refundable.

[Nick Tessla]

 medical examination to screen out (as far as is possible), any contagious diseases;

 

 

"Enjoy your vacation in Britain - just bend over while I slip on these rubber gloves" - the sort of slogan that should boost tourism no end (well a very specialised part of the market anyway) 

[observer]

Think your ignorance and complacency is getting you mixed up - that's already part of the search process for suspected drug smuggling at points of entry !

[Nick Tessla]

Think your ignorance and complacency is getting you mixed up - that's already part of the search process for suspected drug smuggling at points of entry !

 

Put your brain in gear before you make aggressive postings -  it is not routine for every foreign tourist and business traveller entering the UK. You seemed to be implying that should be the case with medical examinations.

[Nick Tessla]

I woukd ask you to clarify if that was what you meant - but I know you can have difficulties with answering a straight forward question.

[observer]

..... and neither is it "routine" to "bend over" for medical screening either; which is something YOU implied, not me. However, returning to the original topic, I notice from the news, that this "deposit" brainwave has come from Clegg; so even the Lib Dums are trying  not to look as soft on immigration as they really are; but many already pay more than £1,000 to illegal traffickers to get here, and the rest might think it a worthwhile payment to remain in this land of milk and money. According to a recent BBC Panorama prog; out of the estimated 600,000 "illegals" in the UK;  many have been involved with the immigration authories, the justice system etc; but have failed to be deported, just released back onto the streets; which exposes a total lack of a joined up system within the so-called system. Some, even become so exasperated with living under bridges and in old garages, that they are prepared to pay criminal gangs £1,000, to smuggle them out of the country - perhaps the supreme irony in all this mess.

[Lt Kije]

Observer

 

 Why dont you live up to your name and Observe, Perhaps then you will stop coming out with the Bullsh*t you do now, 

 

Ps Still waiting for you to come clean on the school

[observer]

I'm refering to a Panorama prog - if it doesn't fit in with your luvvie view of the world - take it up with the BBC !

[Lt Kije]

Im in need of a giggle Obs, tell me again how you Observed A school in Warrington where less than 50% of the pupils had English as their first language, Perhaps you should consider a name change as you clearly are not observant, How about" unaware"or "unobservant".

[observer]

Simples Kije, I asked a member of staff, who gave me an estimate - not scientific I admit, but no doubt in good faith. What niggles you, far from the giggles, is the possibility that it was an accurate estimate, which would tend to upset your fairy land.

[Lt Kije]

So it was not Observed, So how about giving us the area of Warrington the school is in, thats giving nothing away, then we can check your fantasy out?

 

How about "Taken In" as a change of name, as you clearly were

[observer]

I never claimed it was "observed", just another person's innocent estimate, having no axe to grind either way - but it certainly seems to have found it's mark with you !

[asperity]

In the WHOLE country the percentage of primary school pupils whose first language is not English is 17.5%. Given that the number of people in Warrington from non white British background is just over 2%, the likelihood of ANY primary school in Warrington having a percentage of pupils whose first language is not English verges on the impossible. Granted there are a number of white British people around who seem unable to communicate in English, but even this wouldn't raise the percentage by that much. So come on Obs, admit that you are way out on this one. :cool:

[observer]

Who said anything about "non white"?

[asperity]

You well know what I'm saying is people who are not white-British. Stop trying to wriggle out of your obviously fictional story of the 50% non English speaking primary school in Warrington. I'm sure there are some schools in various parts of the country where classes will have a majority of children whose first language is not English, but not in Warrington where there isn't the required ethnic mix.