NEW DELHI: The UK government announced on Thursday a new visa route for international students starting on October 5, fulfilling its promise to introduce a new points-based immigration system.
The new “Student Route” visa system is based on points, a total of 70, that the applicant must obtain to obtain a visa, according to a statement from the British High Commission in New Delhi. The new process is more streamlined for students and their sponsoring institutions, she said.
Students “will earn the required points if they can demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, speak English and can support themselves during their studies in the UK,” he said.
“Students will now also be able to make a visa application up to 6 months before their course begins (up to 3 months before) and will not be required to resubmit proof of academic qualifications with their visa application. The new route treats students equally, with all international students using the same simplified route when it is opened for applications no matter where they come from, “he said.
According to Jan Thompson, Acting High Commissioner, India is one of the UK’s largest sources of international students “and our world-leading education system has always been a key part of our bilateral relationship.”
“Last fiscal year, nearly 50,000 Indian citizens were granted a study visa, who are ambassadors for the Living Bridge connecting our countries. Now that we have left the EU, we can introduce this simplified visa route and the Graduate Route in the summer of 2021, to ensure that the brightest and best students continue to choose the UK, “he said.
Barbara Wickham, director of the British Council India, said the new system offers “greater flexibility and ease of immigration for applicants.”
“With the benefits of the Graduate Route post-study work and the launch of the Student Route, the UK has further solidified its commitment to international students and enabled their dreams of pursuing a world-class education more than ever before,” he added .
India has previously urged the UK government to review its visa policies, which had banned Indian students from working in the UK after completing their courses. The UK had the post-study work visa scheme until 2012, when then Home Secretary Theresa May scrapped it.
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