New limit of UK visas reached

United Kingdom, 22nd October: The annual limit of 600 UK visas has been reached and no more UK visas will be granted to applicants hailing from non-European nations.

While making this announcement, the UKBA (UK Border Agency) said that the doors for UK immigration for applicants under the high-skilled category hailing from outside the Europe have been closed for a temporary period.

The UK government has fixed the number of UK tier-1(general) visas to 600 a month.

Meanwhile, the applicants under the highly-skilled category can still apply for UK immigration but UK visas approvals will get delayed until 1st November 2010.

The statement by the UKBA maintains that any applicant for UK Tier 1 visa may face some delays in grant of his UK visa if the application is successful. However, after the beginning of the issuance of UK visas once again in November, the applications will be processed in a timely manner.

Also, those who want their passport back in case of any emergency will have no other option but to withdraw their UK visa application but any such withdrawal will not entitle them to refund of their application fees for UK visas, the UKBA has clarified.

Any unfilled limit for UK visas shall be carried over to the next month, the UK immigration officials added.

Meanwhile, this UK visa cap is not meant for dependants or those who are already in the UK.

The limit on highly-skilled UK immigration has invited criticism from far and wide as its being believed that this will result in creation of a huge backlog of applications for UK visas.

People will continue to apply for UK visas but the process of approval will be halted temporarily. So, applicants for UK visas must be prepared to see a longer delay in the grant of their UK visas, the critics maintain.

Moreover, its being felt by several industries in the UK that such a cap on UK immigration is unlawful and will have a damaging effect on the UK industry.

The UK government had introduced a monthly limit for UK Tier 1(General highly-skilled ) visas from July 2010 onwards when the UK government had announced an interim cap on UK immigration till a permanent cap comes into effect from April next year.