Now, Australia denies indian team visa

New Delhi, June 12 -- The Indian lawn bowls team, which was to fly to Sydney for a practice session ahead of the Commonwealth Games, has been denied visas as the Australian high commission considers them "flight risks". "This is the ultimate case of Indian bashing by the (Australian) government," said the team's Aussie coach Richard Gale, who had arranged for a month-long stint of matches with teams Down Under.

"The high commission wanted bank statements and employment certificates," Lawn Bowls Federation of India president Sunaina Kumari said. "Most of these players are poor; one can't expect them to have huge bank balances.

" "Most of these players have been to China and Malaysia without a hitch but this is the second time Australia has denied them visas. Why would these players who have no money and can hardly speak English abscond in an alien country," he asked.

"The high commission wanted bank statements and employment certificates," Lawn Bowls Federation of India president Sunaina Kumari said. "Most of these players are poor; one can't expect them to have huge bank balances.

" On whether the denial of visas had racial overtones, she said, "I think so.".

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) – Online Applications

The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is available online 24 hours a day 7 days a week, for applicants outside Australia who want to visit Australia for tourism or business purposes.

An ETA allows the holder to travel to Australia as many times as required within the validity period which is 12 months from the date of issue. The maximum length of each visit is three months.

An ETA is an electronically stored authority equivalent to a visa. There is no stamp or label placed in your passport. ETA information is accessible by airlines, travel agents and Australian border agencies. An ETA is linked to the passport number that is used in an ETA application and the holder must use the same passport to travel to Australia.

ETAs are available to passport holders from a number of countries and regions.
See:
ETA (Visitor) (Subclass 976) Eligibility
ETA (Business Entrant) (Subclass 956 and 977) Eligibility

Repeat visits

An ETA is not designed to allow repeated extended stays in Australia. If you want to spend long periods in Australia for tourism purposes you can consider applying for Tourist visa (Subclass 676) or an alternative visa that suits your purposes.
See: Tourist visa (Subclass 676)

Start an application

Location	Related information	See
Applications must be made from outside Australia	To apply online for an ETA you will need: a current valid passport for each traveller and a valid credit card (American Express, Diners Club, JCB, MasterCard, or Visa).	Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
Individual applicant	Individuals can apply online for the following ETAs: ETA (Visitor) (Subclass 976) ETA (Business Entrant – Short Validity) (Subclass 977). These ETAs do not attract a visa application charge. However, there is an AUD20 service fee for each ETA applicant. Note: Your travel agent or airline can also book your ETA.	Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
Family members	All family members travelling to Australia with the ETA holder must have a visa or ETA. A separate ETA application must be lodged for each family member, even where children are travelling on the same passport as a parent.	Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)

USCIS Begins Accepting H-1B Petitions For FY 2011

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun accepting H-1B petitions on April 1, 2010 that are subject to the FY 2011 cap. Petitions subject to the FY 2011 cap must request a start date on or after October 1, 2010, the first day of the fiscal year.

Employers may file an H-1B petition no more than 6-months in advance of the requested start date. Thus, petitions seeking an FY 2011 H-1B cap number with an Oct. 1, 2010 start date can be filed no sooner than April 1, 2010.

As was the case last year, if the quotas for standard and advanced-degree petitions are not reached in this period, the USCIS will continue to accept H-1B petitions until it determines that it has received sufficient filings to meet the cap for the year. If USCIS receives enough cases to reach the 65,000 standard cap during the first five business days, it will use a lottery to select the cases that are awarded quota numbers.

Australian VISA Immigration - Changes to the citizenship residence requirement on 1 July 2010

The general residence requirement is one of the eligibility criteria you must meet to apply for Australian citizenship. The residence requirement is specified in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.

It is based on the length of time:

• you have lawfully lived in Australia
• you have spent outside Australia
• you have been a permanent resident.

Show allHide all

What is the change?

From 1 July 2010 all citizenship applicants will need to meet this residence requirement at the time they apply for Australian citizenship.

• You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying, including 1 year as a permanent resident, and
• You must not have been absent from Australia for more than 1 year during the 4 year period, including no more than 90 days in the year immediately before applying.

What will happen on 1 July 2010?

On 1 July 2010 the transitional arrangements will cease. On and after 1 July 2010 there will only be one general residence requirement which everyone aged 16 and over will be required to meet.

What are the current residence requirements?

Between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2010 there has been transitional arrangements in place.

1. If you became a permanent resident before 1 July 2007, and apply on or before 30 June 2010, the residence requirement is:
   • You must have been living in Australia for 2 years as a permanent resident in the 5 years immediately before applying, including 1 year in the 2 years immediately before applying.
2. If you became a permanent resident on or after 1 July 2007 the residence requirement is:
   • You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying, including 1 year as a permanent resident, and
   • You must not have been absent from Australia for more than 1 year during the 4 year period, including no more than 90 days in the year immediately before applying.

Will the residence requirement change affect me?

If you are a long term resident the change in the length of time you must be lawfully living in Australia may not affect your eligibility to apply.

The change mainly affects people who are trying to balance the requirement of living in Australia as a permanent resident with allowable absences and overseas travel.

This means you must hold a permanent residence visa valid for entry to Australia or resident return visa for any time spent outside Australia, during the whole 12 months immediately before making an application.

How can I check my residency?

You can use the residence calculator found in the citizenship website at to calculate your residence status, or you can call the Citizenship Information Line during business hours.
Telephone: 131 880
See: Residence requirements calculator

What should I do if I am planning to travel?

Information for Students Affected by the Meridian College Closure and Seeking a Course Fee Refund

On 9 March 2010 the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) sent an email to Student visa holders affected by the Meridian College closure advising that they been unable to provide students with a placement to enable their continuation of studies.

ACPET now wants to advise that details of all students requiring assistance that were not able to be offered a place by 12 March 2010 have been sent to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Arrangements have now been made with the ESOS Assurance Fund to either place affected Student visa holders with another education provider or provide a refund of course money for which Student visa holders did not receive tuition.

If you require assistance and have not received an offer from ACPET, you can expect to be contacted by the ESOS Assurance Fund in the next few days. However, if you have not heard from the ESOS Assurance Fund by 19 March 2010, please contact DEEWR.
Email: meridian@deewr.gov.au

Student visa information

Students are subject to the visa condition 8202 which requires them to maintain enrolment at all times.

Generally when a student's enrolment ceases they have a period of 28 days in which to either:

• obtain new enrolment to continue their studies on their Student visa
• make arrangements to leave Australia
• apply for a different visa.

If you decide that you do not want to continue your studies in Australia with a new education provider and have sought a refund of your course money, once you have received the refund you will have 28 days to make your arrangements to leave Australia or apply for another type of visa.

If you would like a refund and plan to make your own enrolment arrangements, you should provide the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) with the details of this enrolment within 28 days of obtaining your refund.

If you have obtained a refund but have not been able to obtain evidence of enrolment within the 28 days please contact your nearest DIAC office to discuss your situation.

Students who have concerns about their visa status should contact DIAC.
Telephone: 131 881

Do I need a new student visa?

It is important that you check the expiry date of your current Student visa.

You can either check your visa label in your passport for your visa expiry date or use DIAC's visa entitlement verification online (VEVO) service.
See: Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

Students transferring to another education provider as a result of the provider default, will not need to obtain a new Student visa unless they change the education sector of their principal course of study or their new course is longer in duration than their existing visa.

If your existing Student visa is shortly due to expire and you wish to continue your studies in Australia, you will need to lodge a new application for a Student visa before your current visa expires.

To assist you, DIAC has introduced a visa application charge exemption for Students who need to apply for a further visa to continue their studies in the 12 months after your provider defaulted. To be eligible for the VAC exemption you will need to submit a valid Student visa application form and evidence that you have been affected by an education provider default.

If you are not able to obtain evidence of enrolment, in the form of a letter of offer, or a confirmation of enrolment with a new education provider, before you need to lodge your new application form, please contact your nearest DIAC office.

Students who have concerns about their visa status can contact DIAC.
Telephone: 131 881

Citizenship and Immigration Canada to streamline language proficiency assessment

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced today that the Canadian government will reduce application processing delays by streamlining language proficiency assessment for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class applications.

For all applications received by Citizenship and Immigration Canada on or after April 10, 2010, immigration officers will be determining applicants’ language proficiency based on documentation submitted at the time the application is assessed, and will no longer be giving applicants an opportunity to provide additional documents supporting their language proficiency.

Currently, if an immigration officer feels that an applicant has not adequately proved his or her language proficiency with documentation, they may contact the applicant and afford the opportunity to provide results of a third-party test, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test.

However, as of April 10, 2010, this option will no longer be provided to applicants. Language proficiency will be assessed solely on information the applicant has provided at the time of submission. It is therefore advisable that applicants submit conclusive proof of their language ability, such as IELTS test results, with their complete application.

"This requirement supports our commitment to fast, fair and efficient application processing," Kenney said.

Ottawa group awarded for helping skilled immigrants find work in Canada

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Hire Immigrants Ottawa, a group that helps employers integrate skilled immigrants into the labour market, has been presented with an award for its work by Carleton University, a respected Canadian educational institution.

Hire Immigrants Ottawa works with employers, immigration and settlement agencies, and newcomers to Canada in order to help newcomers use their work experience and education in their countries of origin to join, and contribute to, the Canadian workforce.

The group, which has been in operation for four years, has helped more than 750 skilled immigrants find rewarding work in Canada.

Northwestern Ontario communities launch immigration portal

A new immigration portal for newcomers to Canada was launched today by communities in Northwestern Ontario. The portal provides information on settling and working in Northwestern Ontario cities and towns, such as Thunder Bay and Kenora.

Immigrants to Canada can use the portal to learn about the benefits of immigrating to the area, such as the natural and cultural diversity of the area, as well as about finding jobs and choosing schools in the region. The information is translated into 11 languages.

“Prospective immigrants to Canada and newcomers from around the country or province can now find everything they need to know about living, working, learning and doing business in Northwestern Ontario and its communities at the click of a mouse,” said Rebecca Johnson, Advisory Committee Member for the Northwestern Ontario Immigration Portal.

Canadian Immigration Minister announced planned changes to Canada’s refugee system

Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced proposed changes to Canada’s refugee system that he says will provide more protection to those who need it and will deter those who do not need Canada’s protection from taking advantage of the system.

The changes Kenney is proposing were announced over the past two days, and include:

• Shorter wait times for eligible claimants to have their cases heard;
• The development of a list of Safe Countries of Origin;
• Faster removal for failed refugee claimants;
• An increase of 2,500 refugees accepted under the Canada’s resettlement program of refugees selected by the United Nations and other referral organizations;
• An increase in funding for social assistance for newly arrived refugees by $9-million annually.

Canadian economy doing even better than expected

The Canadian economy is faring better than expected, as Canada’s Gross Domestic Product grew at an annual rate of more than 6 per cent in January.

In addition, the Canadian economy added 100,000 more jobs in February of this year compared to February 2009.

The Canadian manufacturing and industrial sectors have driven this growth.

The federal government sees this growth as a sign that the economic stimulus programs they have introduced as a response to the global recession are working.

"It shows our plans for the economy are working. We're seeing strength across a number of sectors including retail and manufacturing," said Industry Minister Tony Clement.

Student Visa Information

What is a student visa?
India offers various kinds of visas, depending on the purpose of visit. Student visa is a visa specifically for the students wanting to come to India for education purpose. Student Visas are issued for the duration of the academic course of study or for a period of five years whichever is less, on the basis of letters of admission from Universities/recognized colleges or educational institutions in India.

What are the pre-requisites for procuring a student visa?
To apply/ be eligible for a student visa, you need to conform to the following conditions.

If you are on Government of India scholarships, the respective Indian missions would be advised by ICCR to issue a regular student visa after your admission in an Indian university is confirmed. On the other hand, if you are coming as a self-financing student, you need to produce letters of admission from universities or recognized colleges and institutions in India for obtaining the regular student visa.

If you are coming as a research student, synopsis of the research project countersigned by the sponsoring institution in India along with letter of approval are no objection certificate from the concerned Ministries in India should be submitted for necessary visa.

Note: Processing of applications for research may take about three months.

Can I get the visa even if I don't have a confirmed admission letter?
Don't worry if your admission is still not confirmed. Students not having firm letters of admission from universities or institutions are issued Provisional Student Visa by the Indian missions abroad, on the basis of provisional letters of admissions. However Provisional Student Visa is valid for 3 months. Within these 3 months, your admission needs to be confirmed otherwise you will have to leave India. No extension of Provisional Student Visa is permitted.

Can I change my University/ College after coming to India?
You need to mention the name of the Institute while applying for the visa, which is then mentioned on the visa. A request for change of university or institution subsequently made cannot be considered. In this case you would be required to go back to your home country and apply for a new visa.

Can I get my tourist visa converted to a student visa?
"Change of purpose" of visit of international students to India is not allowed once they arrive in India. Therefore, if you come to India on tourist or any other type of visa, you cannot get this visa changed to student visa.

According to government regulations, if an international student coming to India on a tourist or any other type of visa (except a student visa ), obtains admission into a university or any institution in India, the student will be required to return to his country and obtain a new visa (i.e. a student visa) from the Indian mission there.

To avoid this situation, all self- financing international students are advised to obtain regular or provisional student visa from Indian missions abroad by producing confirmed or provisional letters of admission from a university or an institution.

Where can I apply for the visa?
The visa can be applied for from any of the Indian Embassies/High Commission. Click here to view the list of Indian Embassies/High Commission.

You can also view the sample visa form, by clicking here.

Are there any rules & regulations that I need to conform to?
Yes, while applying for the visa you need to keep in mind the following regulations:

Passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of intended departure from India should accompany your visa application.

Students holding other nationalities (other than the country where applying for visa), should submit proof of long-term (at least three years)/ permanent residence in the country (where applying). For citizen of other countries, a reference has to be made to their country of residence for which an additional fee is applicable and will involve extra processing time. Please refrain from making inquiries about the status of application during this time.

How much is the student visa fees?
The fee structure depends on the nationality of the passport holder and type/duration of visa applied. These fees are payable in the local currency as well. Please check with the Indian embassy in your country for exact visa fees.

LEE Consultants services for Student VISA
LEE Consultants organize the admission of international students and sends them admission offer letter along with the provisional admission letter received from the institute. The students have to submit these letters at the Indian embassy in their respective countries to get the visa.

Types of Visas

Type of Visas

	B-1
	B-2
	F-1
	F-2
	H-1B
	H-2B
	H-3
	H-4

	J-1
	J-2
	M-1
	L-1 Blanket
	L-1
	O-1
	TN
	Green Card

What is L-2 Visa

Your Immigration Questions Answered by VisaPro. Here, you will find detailed answers to many of most common immigration questions.

1. What is L2 visa? The L2 visa allows the dependent spouse and minor, unmarried children of qualified L-1 visa holders to enter into the U.S. 2. What privileges do I enjoy on L-2 visa? On L-2 visa, you may: • Reside in the U.S. for the duration of the L-1 visa holder's authorized duration of stay • Work on a full-time basis in the U.S. with proper employment authorization from the USCIS • Engage in full-time study in the U.S. • Travel in and out of the U.S. on short trips and return 3. What are the limitations of L-2 visa? You may not apply for Employment Authorization if you are a dependent child on L-2 visa. 4. How long can I stay in the U.S. on L-2 visa? You may stay as long as the primary L-1 visa holder maintains valid status, or up to a maximum of seven years, whichever is shorter.

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Australian Government Department of Immigration

Application Details
Transaction Reference Number (TRN)
Date of birth	Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Year 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Passport number
Country of passport	Country AFGHANISTAN ALBANIA ALGERIA AMERICAN SAMOA ANDORRA ANGOLA ANGUILLA ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA ARGENTINA ARMENIA ARUBA AUSTRIA AZERBAIJAN BAHAMAS BAHRAIN BANGLADESH BARBADOS BELARUS BELGIUM BELIZE BENIN BERMUDA BHUTAN BOLIVIA BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA BOTSWANA BRAZIL BRITISH -CITIZEN BRITISH NATIONAL OVERSEAS BRUNEI DARUSSALAM BULGARIA BURKINA FASO BURUNDI CAMBODIA CAMEROON CANADA CAPE VERDE CAYMAN ISLANDS CENTRAL AFRICAN REP CHAD CHILE CHINA COLOMBIA COMOROS CONGO COOK ISLANDS COSTA RICA COTE D'IVOIRE CROATIA CUBA CYPRUS CZECH REPUBLIC DEM REP OF THE CONGO DENMARK DJIBOUTI DOMINICA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC EAST TIMOR ECUADOR EGYPT EL SALVADOR EQUATORIAL GUINEA ERITREA ESTONIA ETHIOPIA FIJI FINLAND FRANCE FRENCH GUIANA FRENCH POLYNESIA FYR MACEDONIA GABON GAMBIA GEORGIA GERMANY GHANA GIBRALTAR GREECE GREENLAND GRENADA GUADELOUPE GUAM GUATEMALA GUINEA GUINEA-BISSAU GUYANA HAITI HONDURAS HONG KONG SAR HUNGARY ICELAND INDIA INDONESIA IRAN IRAQ IRELAND ISRAEL ITALY JAMAICA JAPAN JORDAN KAZAKHSTAN KENYA KIRIBATI KOREA, NORTH KOREA, SOUTH KOSOVO KUWAIT KYRGYZSTAN LAO PEOPLES DEM REP LATVIA LEBANON LESOTHO LIBERIA LIBYA LIECHTENSTEIN LITHUANIA LUXEMBOURG MACAU SAR MADAGASCAR MALAWI MALAYSIA MALDIVES MALI MALTA MARTINIQUE MAURITANIA MAURITIUS MEXICO MICRONESIA MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF MONACO MONGOLIA MONTENEGRO MONTSERRAT MOROCCO MOZAMBIQUE MYANMAR NAMIBIA NAURU NEPAL NETHERLANDS NETHERLANDS ANTILLES NEW CALEDONIA NEW ZEALAND NICARAGUA NIGER NIGERIA NIUE NORWAY OMAN PAKISTAN PALAU PALESTINIAN AUTHRTY PANAMA PAPUA NEW GUINEA PARAGUAY PERU PHILIPPINES POLAND PORTUGAL PUERTO RICO QATAR REUNION ROMANIA ROMANIA PRE 1/2/2002 RUSSIAN FEDERATION RWANDA SAINT LUCIA SAMOA SAN MARINO SAO TOME & PRINCIPE SAUDI ARABIA SENEGAL SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO SERBIA SEYCHELLES SIERRA LEONE SINGAPORE SLOVAK REPUBLIC SLOVENIA SOLOMON ISLANDS SOMALIA SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN SRI LANKA ST HELENA ST KITTS & NEVIS ST VINCENT/GRENADINE SUDAN SURINAME SWAZILAND SWEDEN SWITZERLAND SYRIA TAIWAN TAJIKISTAN TANZANIA THAILAND TIMOR-LESTE TOGO TOKELAU TONGA TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TUNISIA TURKEY TURKMENISTAN TURKS AND CAICOS ISL TUVALU UGANDA UKRAINE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNITED STATES URUGUAY UZBEKISTAN VANUATU VATICAN CITY STATE VENEZUELA VIETNAM YEMEN YUGOSLAVIA ZAIRE ZAMBIA ZIMBABWE
If you do not know your Transaction Reference Number, you can send a request to the Department for this information to be supplied to you. You must have an email contact address to use this facility.

Nodal Officers for APIS Data Centre

Nodal Officers for APIS Data Centre
Location	Name,Telephone Number
IGI Airport,Delhi	Sh. S.S.Sharma 011-25655766(O) 09810555900 (m)
CSI Airport,Mumbai	Ms. Lalitha Raman 022-26829268(O) 09869233960 (m)
Chennai Airport	Mr. Gopiraj 044-22564752(O) 09962263098 (m)
Devanhalli Airport,Bangalore	Sh.G.M.Suibramanium 080-25222130(O) 09845022160 (m)
RGI Airport, Hyderabad	Mr.Ravi Chandra 09701110259 (m)
Cochin Airport	Mr. Joshi Mathew 09447289196 (m)

Foreigner's Regional Registration Officer, Amritsar

FRRO :	Manish Priyadarshi
Telephone No. :	0183-2508250 (O)
Email Address :	frroasr@nic.in
Foreigners Registration Office Address :	123-D, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar-143001.
Contact Person (Airport) :	Incharge Immigration Airport Tel. : 0183-2214186

Bureau of Immigration, India - Chennai

Bureau of Immigration, India - Chennai

FRRO :	Avi Prakash
Telephone No. :	044-23454970(O) 044-23454971(FAX)
E-mail ID :	frrochn@nic.in, chiochn@nic.in
Foreigners Registration Office Address :	Shastri Bhawan, 26, Haddows Road, Chennai-600006.
Contact Person : (Airport) Contact Person: (Harbour)	SIO (Departure/Arrival) Tel. : 044-23454977(fax) Tel. : 044-23454976(o) SIOI Tel. : 044-23454975(Tele-fax) Helpline No. : 044-28251721

Bureau of Immigration, India - Kolkata

Bureau of Immigration, India - Kolkata

FRRO :	B.K.Talukdar.
Telephone No. :	033-22470549 (O) 033-22470549 (Fax)
Email Address :	frrokol@nic.in
Foreigners Registration Office Address :	237, Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Road, Kolkata-700020.
Contact Person : (Airport)	AFRRO (Departure/Arrival) Tel. : 033-25208100

Bureau of Immigration, India - Mumbai Address

Bureau of Immigration, India - Mumbai Address

Foreigner's Regional Registration Office, Mumbai
FRRO :	Rajvardhan
Telephone No. :	022-22620446 (O) 022-22620721 (Fax)
E-Mail Address :	frromum@nic.in dcpsb2.frro@indiatimes.com
Foriegners registration Office Address :	3rd Floor, Special Branch Bldg., Badruddin Tayabji Lane, Behind St. Xaviers College, Mumbai-400001.
Contact Person(Airport):	AFRRO (Departure/Arrival) Tel.: 022-26828098

Bureau of Immigration, India - Delhi Address

Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Delhi
	F.R.R.O :	Ajay Chaudhry
	Telephone No. :	011-26711348 (TELE FAX)
	E-Mail Address :	boihq@mha.nic.in frrodelhi@hotmail.com frrodli@nic.in
	Office Address :	East Block-VIII, Level-II, Sector-1, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066
	Contact Person at Airport AFRRO (Departure/Arrival)	Tel. No. 011-25652389
	Contact Person at Foreigners Registration Office ,Address & Tel.	Incharge Foreigners' Registration (F&R) Branch East Block-VIII, Level-II, Sector-1, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110 066 Tel. No. 011-26711443 011-26195530,26171944 Extn.142/302/141 011-26192634 Extn. 142/302/141

UK brings in £50 visa 'surcharge'

People from outside the EU moving to the UK to work or study will have to pay £50 extra for visas to help areas struggling to cope with immigration.

The £70m raised by the two-year scheme, announced by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, will help fund more police support and translators.

Many councils have warned of the strain that new arrivals have put on services.

But critics say the cash will not have much effect and also warn that the move could stir anti-immigrant sentiments.

Ms Blears said it meant people coming to the UK to work or study would pay a levy on top of the basic cost of a visa.

She acknowledged that economic migrants already contributed to services through their taxes, but said the visa fund would provide extra money to "ease the transition" for areas which had seen a big influx in short periods of time.

"Where there are impacts as a result of migrants coming in on the local community, we think it's fair that the migrants themselves should be asked to pay a contribution towards those impacts to make sure that local people don't feel that they're really under strain," she said.

Ms Blears said the money would be allocated on a regional basis and that local councils, police forces and health authorities would be expected to work together to spend the funds for their area wisely.

One example was making sure people registered with their GP, to stop them using casualty departments for minor health issues.

Pressures

The exact charge has not been confirmed but the department says it is expected to be about £50.

Initially it will be charged for two years only, as it is aimed at contributing towards the start-up costs of schemes which are expected to become "self sustaining".

These could include joint translation services for public authorities like the police and NHS bodies - which might currently be offering individual translation.

Rob Anderson, leader of the council in Slough - which has seen a large increase in migrants from the new EU countries - told the BBC: "It's a start, I don't think it can be the only thing that's done to try and help local authorities in the same position we are. We know the pressures that we are facing."

As unemployment rises and job vacancies fall, there are mounting concerns that migrants could become targets for social unrest.

Local authorities have said they need £250m extra to cope with migrant populations and helping them integrate.

Points-based immigration

Labour former minister Frank Field, who is co-chairman of the cross-party group on balanced migration, said most people wanted to see fewer migrants coming to Britain in the first place.

"The vast majority of voters, including new citizens, actually want restrictions," he said.

"Why doesn't the government address that issue instead of fiddling around believing that it can impose a tax which, even if it's successful, only raises a fraction of the cost of what integrating new arrivals means?"

Ms Blears said the new points-based system for non-EU immigration would ensure that only the people with skills the economy needed would come to the UK.

The Institute for Public Policy Research expressed concerns that the proposal could ignite anti-immigrant feelings.

Shadow communities and local government secretary, Caroline Spelman, said: "For a long time councils have been asking for recognition of the pressures put on local services by uncontrolled immigration, for them this announcement may well be too little too late.

"Rather than tackling the real pressures on local services I fear this announcement is designed to get a headline."

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7951721.stm

Student Visa for Australia

Australia is one of the much sought after destinations for pursuing higher studies due to their good infrastructural facilities and lower cost of education. There are many strict conditions that candidates have to adhere to in order to get their Students Visa for Australia. Any violation of these conditions can result in the cancellation of the student visa. Based on the main program of study, Students Visa for Australia is categorized into several visa subclasses. This article provides you with procedure and documents required for obtaining a Students Visa for studying in Australia.

Student Visa subclasses in Australia The different Student Visa subclasses based on the chief course of study in Australia include the following: 570 - Independent English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students 571 – Schools, which include primary, secondary as well as approved secondary exchange programs 572 - Vocational education and training sector 573 - Higher education sector including graduate certificate, graduate diploma and bachelor degree 574 - Masters and doctorate sector 575 - Non-award foundation studies and or other full-time course not leading to an Australian award 576 - AusAID or Defence sponsored sector Documents Required for Student Visa for Australia Applicants have to show evidence of enrolment by a Government registered Australian education institution in order to pursue a program of study. Applicants have to show proof of financial resource to pay for their course fees as well as maintenance costs. Sponsors are required to furnish documentary evidence of having cash assets held for minimum six months prior to the pre-visa application date. Candidates must possess a valid passport. Other Requirements for Student Visa for Australia Candidates applying for Students Visa for Australia must demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency in English measured by an IELTS. OEFL score is not acceptable. Candidates will be assessed for potential to breach visa conditions by the visa officer. Source: http://colleges.indiaedu.com/australia/students-visa.html

Students Visa for Germany

Student who want to pursue a full time study program in Germany have to apply for a student visa at German Embassy or the Consulate General. Students Visa for Germany is initially granted for three-month duration. The Visa is further extended by the authorities in Germany within three months of their stay in the country. According to the immigration laws in Germany, it is compulsory to get a students Visa. This article provides relevant information regarding Students Visa for Germany and the documents required for applying for a Visa.

Documents Required for Students Visa for Germany In order to apply for a Students Visa for studying in Germany, students have to furnish a number of important documents and submit it along with their application form at the Consulate General or German Embassy. Here is a list of the important documents required for students Visa for Germany. Students are required to have a valid passport along with 2 passport photographs Students have to furnish proof of possession of a school leaving certificate, i.e. A-level certificate, permitting them to study in Germany. Students have to have proof that that they possess German-language skills or that that intend to attend a language course in Germany Students also must have proof of adequate financial resources to sponsor their study and accommodation fees. Finally students also require a health certificate to prove that they are medically fit. Types of Students Visa for Germany There are three different types of Students Visa for studying in colleges and universities Germany. The different types of Students Visa for Germany include: Student Applicant Visa for students who do not have a certificate of admission to higher studies or of confirmation of application Student Visa for those who already possess a certificate of admission to higher education or of application confirmation Visa for participation in a language course for students who only want to attend a language course in Germany Source: http://colleges.indiaedu.com/Europe/germany/students-visa.html