Following the welcome news that foreign business executives will get a personalised and expedited visa service, as of early 2014 the Home Office will also launch a new waiver scheme to make it easier and cheaper for business and tourist travelers from Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to visit the UK.
The new Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) will be free of charge, as well as a quicker and simplified alternative to a visa application. It will be rolled out for Oman, Qatar and the UAE early in 2014, whereas for the Kuwait later next year.
As stated in the Government’s portal: “Applicants will need to submit an Electronic Visa Waiver online at least 48 hours before travel and it will do away with the need to provide biometric information, attend an appointment at a visa application center or hand in passport before travel.
The Electronic Visa Waiver will be available for visits of up to six months, however those coming to the UK to work or study will still need to apply for visas in the normal way.” Further details of the scheme will be announced by the Home Office in due course and we shall keep you announced as they are rolled out. Until then current rules continue to apply.
If you require assistance to apply for a business visit visa to the UK, please do get in touch with us on 020 7494 0118, or email info@davidsonmorris.com.
Author
Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.
She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.
Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals
