UK tightens visa norms

Indian nationals will henceforth need transit visas to travel via British airports to other destinations, the Home Office in London has announced.

The new rules follow evidence of widespread abuse of immigration rules. Exceptions will be made for those who are passing through with valid visas or residence permits for the US or Canada.

Nationals of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Angola, Cameroon and Lebanon are also affected, but a Home Office spokesman said, "Indian nationals have accounted for 40% of cases where passengers able to transit the UK without a visa sought to stay here illegally or by making an asylum claim.

"During 2002, around 2,000 Indian nationals applied for asylum in the UK. Indications are that the number this year will be even higher. In the same period, some 400 arrived without any documents and 270 plus using forged documents."

Last year, Indian nationals also accounted for the highest number of asylum applications made on arrival in the UK.

Previously, nationals of these countries needed visas to visit the UK, but could do without one if they were passing through on their way to a third country and the duration of stay was less than 24 hours.

British Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes said, "We are responding to intelligence that a growing number of nationals from these countries are using the transit route to flout our immigration controls and to enter the UK illegally or to make unfounded asylum applications.

Today's announcement is part of a package of measures we are using to strengthen UK border controls abroad, including new screening technology and the better use of intelligence to break up gangs that profit from the trade
in illegal immigrants. We are committed to making this process as straightforward as possible for genuine visitors."

The new visa regime -- Direct Airside Transit Visa  -- would come into effect from Wednesday midnight, the Home Office said.