UK visa requirements for visitors from Dominica and St. Lucia

The UK border agency has announced that it may introduce visas to the UK for visitors from Dominica and St Lucia, after analyzing the results of a Visa Waiver Test on seven countries in the eastern Caribbean.

The Visa Waiver Test is carried out to determine the risk that a specific countries' citizens potentially pose to the UK in terms of illegal immigration, crime and security, to help decide where visas to the UK may be required.
It also helps the government determine whether the visa regimes are in the right places.

The Test was announced in 2007 when travel from any country beyond the European Economic Area and Switzerland was measured against a range of criteria including illegal immigration, crime and security concerns. The assessment found that there was a need for introducing visas to the UK for a number of currently visa free countries, based on the current level of risk posed to the UK by sufficient numbers of their nationals. A UK visa regime is a simple but very effective immigration, crime and security control measure.

In this case results of the test showed a strong case for introducing visas to the UK for citizens of Dominica and St Lucia. The UK government will now work with these two countries and try to resolve the its concerns during a six-month period.

The final decision on visitor visa regimes will be taken until the end of the six-month period after all relevant factors are considered.

UK Student Visa Applicants Will Rely On Highly Trusted Sponsors

The UK Border Agency announced today that all UK colleges and universities who want to bring international students in can apply for a highly trusted sponsor licence starting today. The applications will be carefully reviewed and the list of approved educational institutions will go live in April. Under the UK student visa guidelines, sponsors are rated for their procedures and track record in bringing sponsored visitors to the United Kingdom. The new highly trusted sponsor licence will have nothing to do with the academic achievements of a particular educational institution, but rather with their track record in recruiting genuine international students who follow the restrictions of a UK student visa holder.

The new licence system will be highly beneficial for all colleges and universities who will be included in the final highly trusted sponsor list. It will also help the UK Border Agency to follow closer the activities of sponsors and UK student visa applicants who seek loopholes in the system in order to abuse it. Sponsors who have a high rate of non-attendant students will have their licences revoked or suspended.