NEW DELHI, Oct 19: True to character, the British High Commission in Delhi
has assured Indians that visa applications for the UK will be processed within
the standard time of 15 days.
British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis has said Covid-19 and the Russia-
Ukraine conflict had slowed down the visa processing and that it is getting
back to normal. "We are on track to get back to processing India to Great Britain
#visa applications within our standard of 15 days," Ellis tweeted on Tuesday.
The number of those seeking student visas has gone up by 89% since last year.
Ellis said that the skilled workers’ visas are being processed faster and focus
is being laid on improving visitor visa processing times.
Ellis advised applicants to apply early. “You can help by applying early. You
can apply three months in advance. You can use the different services, including
the priority visa service and the super priority visa service if you have a
particular urgency," he said.
"Make sure you provide the information requested, not just the information
which you want to give. And together, I think we can get right down to the 15-day
work service standard by the end of this year," the High Commissioner said.
He said all visa application centres are trying to bring back the 15-day process.
“We are doing that through a collective effort of our teams in Delhi, in the
UK and all over the world. I am glad to say, I think we are now on track," said
Ellis.
More than 1,18,000 Indian students received visa between June 2021 and June
2022.
Chevening scholarship last date
Meanwhile, the High Commission urged Indian students to apply for Chevening
scholarship early as the last date is approaching. It said, "Chevening is not
just a master's degree. It offers a fulfilling year in the UK with opportunities
to experience the culture - a perfect environment for students to flourish &
learn."
Chevening is a fully-funded scholarship. Applications must be submitted online
at its website
https://chevening.org . It is open for applications until 12:00 (GMT),
November 1, 2022. There are 75 scholarships this year.
The website claims Chevening’s over 50,000-strong alumni network includes 19
current or former heads of state or government. Chevening alumni excel in a
variety of fields outside of politics too.
