PM offers visa deal if India takes back more illegal immigrants
India is offered a deal that could see more people to come to the UK, as the PM also looks for a post-Brexit trade agreement.
Monday 7 November 2016 13:08, UK
Theresa May has offered to relax visa restrictions for Indian people wanting to come to the UK - in return for faster returns of illegal immigrants and overstayers.
Speaking on a trade visit to Delhi, the Prime Minister said: "The UK will consider further improvements to our visa offer if at the same time we can step up the speed and volume of returns of Indians with no right to remain in the UK."
Pressure has been on Theresa May to offer better visa access to the UK in return for post-Brexit trade.
But she is also focused on trying to reach the long-missed target of reducing UK immigration to the tens of thousands.
Some have commented that in return for controlling immigration from the EU, Britain will have to relax border controls on citizens from other counties in order to forge global trade deals.
Local media in India have reacted negatively to increased restrictions on student visas since new rules came into force in 2011.
This has led to a 20,000 drop in the number of international students coming to the UK, Indian officials have claimed.
There is also pressure on the Prime Minister to allow more work visas to the UK as she attempts to build trade relationships with the world's fastest growing major economy.
Asked yesterday by Sky News whether new trade deals could lead to a relaxation of the visa system, the PM said: "We have a visa system for countries outside of the EU that ensures the brightest and the best can come to the United Kingdom."
When it came to visa applications from India, she added: "Nine out of 10 are already accepted. We have, I believe, a good system. We will be talking about trade and I expect new deals will be signed while we are here."
Mrs May has also offered to make India the first visa country to be added to the Registered Traveller Scheme, under which business travellers can clear border control more quickly in British airports.
It will allow passengers to come through the e-Passport gates usually reserved for Britons and Europeans and without a requirement to complete a landing card.
The Prime Minister, who is in Delhi to pave the way for the UK's first post-Brexit trade deal, said: "Trade is an important part of our relationship with India.
"India is the third biggest investor into the UK - second biggest creator of private sector jobs in the UK - and the UK is the biggest G20 investor into India, but there is more we can do."
Mrs May said her visit would coincide with business deals between the two countries worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
Speaking after the the speech, a Number 10 spokeswoman said the "assessment criteria won't change" but the "offer" on visas would be based around "improving our service to make it easier for people to apply - for example we could look at cost".