India asks High Commission in London to take up visa bond

India today asked its High Commission in London to take up with the UK government its decision to collect a visa bond of Rs 2.75 lakh which may have implications on Indians visiting that country.
"The ministry has asked our mission in London to find out official details on reports about a possible new scheme that the UK is trying to introduce that may have implications on Indians visiting that country," spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said here.
He also said once the ministry receives the details, it will assess the information and its implications.
He also said the Indo-UK consular dialogue was the right forum to take it up. The dialogue is scheduled to take place next month in London.

The UK Home Office has earlier this week announced a pilot scheme under which most visitors from six high-risk Afro-Asian countries, including India, Pakistan and Nigeria, will be required to furnish a 3,000 pounds bond for a six- month visit visa, which they will forfeit if they overstay in Britain.
UK's senior politicians across party lines and Indian industry have called the scheme as "unfair and discriminatory".
Meanwhile, official sources said the matter was not discussed in the annual India-UK Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in London last week. Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai FOC with his UK counterpart, Permanent Under Secretary Simon Fraser on all aspects of bilateral relations.