UAE | Visa
'Majority of Emiratis gets British visas within a day'
Britain does not adopt reciprocity in offering visas and instead its visa regime for each country is based on merit, a senior diplomat told Gulf News on Thursday.
- By Samir Salama, Associate Editor
- Published: 22:56 April 9, 2009
- Image Credit: Ravindranath/Gulf News
- Lin Homer (right), UK Border Agency Chief Executive, and Edward Oakden, UK Ambassador to the UAE, at the newly refurbished UK Visa Application centre in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Abu Dhabi: Britain does not adopt reciprocity in offering visas and instead its visa regime for each country is based on merit, a senior diplomat told Gulf News on Thursday.
"We do not adopt the principle of reciprocity in visas with any country in the world. We judge each case on merit," said British Ambassador to the UAE Edward Oakden.
When asked whether Britain will positively respond to the UAE Government's demand that Emiratis receive the same treatment offered to citizens of 34 countries, including European Union countries and US citizens, who obtain visa on arrival at the UAE ports, he said: "We do have a visa regime for Emiratis and the UAE has its visa system for Britons. Having said that, I must add that over 99 per cent of Emirati applicants are granted visas and 90 per cent of these obtain visa within 24 hours."
Members of the Federal National Council (FNC) have lobbied the British parliament to grant UAE citizens the right to enter the UK without having to apply for a visa.
The lawmakers said they were merely seeking a diplomatic standard of reciprocal treatment among nations. Last May, council members complained that the US was treating UAE citizens unfairly. After re-opening the newly refurbished UK Visa Application Centre in Abu Dhabi yesterday, Oakden said the British Government warmly welcomes UAE and other properly qualified travellers to the UK, and is committed to ensuring that the process of securing a UK visa should be as simple, swift, straightforward, family-friendly and culturally sensitive as possible.
"Our Visa Application Centre represents a steep change in customer service for visa applicants. It opened in September 2007, and has been very popular. Satisfaction ratings from our customers have consistently been in the 80-90 per cent range. But we want it to be even better, including for the coming summer peak season. We are always ready to listen to our customers"
He added that Britain has introduced the biometric visa system in well over 100 countries. In the UAE, however, 90 per cent of visa applications are processed within 24 hour - the most straightforward visa regime, compared with processing systems in other countries.
"We are delighted and honoured that so many Emiratis choose to go to the UK. But at the same time we appreciate that you have choices. And we want that choice to continue to be the UK."
Under the biometric system, applicants have their fingerprints scanned and their faces photographed when they apply for a visa at the Visa Application Centres (VACs) in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Biometric identity data are collected from visa applicants worldwide, aged five years and over.
The new-look, state-of-the-art VAC provides additional seating capacity, including a family seating area, more submission desks and more biometric enrolment stations to speed up processing. It also has a new and bigger space for premium service customers, incorporating a separate entrance.
There have also been improvements to signposts on the street leading to the centre. Within the building too, there are signposts pointing to various offices.
Online tracking system is also available free via the VAC website at www.vfs-uk-ae.com.
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