Travel firms await clarity on UK visa bond

Experts said while there was no guarantee of getting a UK visa, providing the security deposit could better the odds of getting one

The requirement of a £3,000 bond for a UK visa has thrown travellers into a tizzy.

Travel companies are yet to receive a communication from the British High Commission on the rules related to the almost Rs 2.75-lakh bond for procuring a UK visa. But they are advising tourists that the diktat applies to those visiting the UK for at least six months or more.

“If genuine tourists have to give such a bond, tourism to UK will fall off the cliff,” said Sharat Dhall, president, Yatra.com. “We are hoping this would be implemented selectively, if at all.”

The high commission reserves the discretion of asking for a bond. This has raised uncertainity among travellers if the move could apply to even short-term visitors.

For instance, a 24-year-old wanting to travel to the UK could be asked for the bond because he could be seen as seeking employment in the country, an industry representative pointed out. Experts said while there was no guarantee of getting a visa, providing the deposit could better the odds of getting one.

Keyur Joshi, chief operating officer, MakeMyTrip.com, said: “The matter would be a cause of concern if anyone and everyone is asked to give the big sum as deposit. But as of now, it is a great move because it would improve the chances of getting a visa for genuine cases and keep out those who tend to stay on illegally.” But some said authorities are taking advantage of the aspirational value the UK holds for an Indian traveller.

“This move would not impact outbound travel to the UK as it applies to only those who stay for more than six months,” said Karan Anand, head-relationships, Cox and Kings. “Tourists who travel to the UK, do not go for more than 10 to 15 days at a stretch and so the bond system does not apply to them.”

According to travel experts, the high-risk markets in India include Punjab and Gujarat, where several use tourist visas to stay permanently in the UK and get employed there. Many restaurant owners are also known to export cheap labour from India for six months or longer. To that extent, it could be a good move to curb illegal immigration. “The tout business, which is quite rampant in this sector, would not be able to flourish now. They (touts) charge a heftier sum for getting the visa,” Joshi added.

The latest debate, has also spurred a discussion among the travel fraternity over the “real problems” with the UK visa, like a whopping fees of Rs 80,000 for a 10-year visa and around Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh for fast tracking that.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in a statement on the UK visa issue said, “This scheme is not in accordance to the spirit of ‘Special Relationship’ that India shares with the UK. It will shun the Indian tourist from visiting UK and also divert many others to more tourism friendly European countries.”