Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:31 pm-
ummm. yeah, I had this sent to me by a couple of people.
My understanding is that it is still in the proposal stage and nothing has been implimented. As such specifics are likely change, and there is the possibility that it will not be passed into completion at all.
I recall a few years ago they were attempting to do a way with the Ancestry visa altogether and there was so much hue and cry about it, that it never happened.
I'm of the mind that there's no point in worrying about any of it until it IS policy at which point you figure out what you need to do, and do it.
Alot of this is being done because the british public has issues with the large numbers of immigrant workers coming into the UK and not integrating to the degree the public might which them to. There have a been a number of issues with this in the past specifically with romanian visas I believe, and the home office has been seen to do nothing.
By taking the current stance the goverment is being precieved at least as making progress, when in reality the most the changes they make will do is generate more revenue and make it a little harder to gain full citizenship within the uk. In reality these new measures will do little to mitigate the problem, as the issue in my opinion isn't the long term residents. It's more the influx from the European countries.
I find it funny really in some respects, when I was living over there the last time I heard so much complaining about it from those people who were originally immigrants themselves about all the new laws allowing everyone and anyone to enter the country.
I do think stricter passport and visa controls are necessary, however they are going about it the wrong way IMO.
I'm speaking in generalities of course and this is simply opinion.
*shrug*