3,000 banks put on UK visa blacklist
by Patricia R - November 2, 2011
United Kingdom, 2nd November: The UK government has placed nearly 3,000 banks on blacklist stating such banks are no longer eligible for UK student visa application system.
Banks fail verification from financiers--The UKBA (UK Border Agency) has revealed that the banks on the blacklist cannot be allowed verification from majority of financiers the world over. Among 3,000 banks on UK visa blacklist include around 700 banks in the Philippines and nearly 2,000 banks in India.
This recent step is a part of the UK government’s strategy to curb increasing inflow of fake or bogus international students in the nation. As per the rules, international students claiming ability to support themselves financially but using any blacklisted banks will not be allowed any points for maintenance.
Reforms to control misuse in the UK student visa process--The UK student visa process needed an immediate and a radical reform to control increasing misuse of this system, states an official spokesperson of the UKBA. No doubt, majority of immigrants coming to the UK had genuine intentions to pursue studies here. Last year, a total of 228,000 international students came to the UK from non-EU nations.
The long list of blacklisted banks by the UKBA points out to the fact that the UK student visa system is subject to wide abuse, stated vice-chairman of Migration Watch UK, Alp Mehmet. So, its time the nation re-introduces interviews to reject fake students before providing them with UK student visas since it is not only difficult but also expensive to remove such students once they are in the nation, stated Mehmet.
Although, the UK has shut its doors to the unscrupulous individuals wanting to gain entry into the nation, however, the nation still welcomes the best and the brightest people having genuine intent to pursue study in the UK, the UKBA clarifies.
The UKBA spokesperson further asserts that the authority must have satisfaction that those applying for scholarly UK visas will be able to support themselves financially once they are in the UK. The UKBA must be assured that international students applying for UK student visas possess money to support their stay in the UK apart from paying for their studies here, the UKBA spokesperson added.
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