Visa rules for South Africans in the UK

Beginning the 3rd of March 2009, passport holders from South Africa will require a visa in order to visit or transit through the UK and this comes under the new immigration rules which were announced to the House of Commons on Monday by the Home Secretary of UK, Jacqui Smith.

Beginning the 3rd of March 2009, passport holders from South Africa will require a visa in order to visit or transit through the UK and this comes under the new immigration rules which were announced to the House of Commons on Monday by the Home Secretary of UK, Jacqui Smith.

The news came almost six months after South Africa along with ten other countries, including Mauritius and Brazil, were warned by the authorities in London that they need to improve their passport security systems and if they failed to do so then they will have to face new visa requirements.

UK officials said that the set of new rules are tailor-made to diminish terrorism and illegal immigration.

The latest development is also due to the fact that many were concerned that too many immigrants are obtaining South African passports and thus, are able to travel through Britain without further checks.

The Home Secretary of the UK, Smith, also emphasized on fears over Al Qaeda operatives making use of South Africa as transit in order to enter Britain.

However, authorities of South Africa are yet to comment over the latest U-turn of UK visa.

British High Commissioner to South Africa, Paul Boateng, was quoted as saying that in no way the introduction of a visa requirement shows that there is any sort of deterioration in the continuing and strong relationship between South Africa and UK.

The High Commissioner Boateng said the maintenance of the usual warm and friendly relations and close links between the two countries is still of extreme importance. He said that the UK is committed towards continuing to welcome citizens of South Africa who wish to travel to the UK for legitimate reasons.

Boateng said that the UK will continue to be a favorite destination for business as well as tourism for South Africans as it has been till now. He said that their main aim to provide the best possible service to all and that, visas will provide extra security and protection for travelers to the UK.

He said that this, along with the introduction of biometrics, will finally provide a safer and much better experience for the ordinary traveling public.

According to the government statistics, South Africans are the fifth largest group of visitors to Britain, the first four being the US, Australia, Canada and Japan. In 2007, around 419,000 South Africans toured legally to the UK, which included 168,000 tourists and around 46,000 business visitors.