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New 24 hour visa service

The Prime Minister yesterday unveiled plans to extend the 24 hour visa service to more business leaders, investors and wealthy tourists in order to attract more investment in Britain.

Downing Street announced its plans as the Prime Minister touched down in Australia for the B20 coalition which brings together world business leaders from G20 member countries; David Cameron is expected to meet with around thirty global CEOs. The 24 hour service, which is part of the government’s effort to support British businesses through long-term economic recovery, is expected to be extended in March 2015 but the exact date is yet to be confirmed.

‘As part of our long-term economic plan, we are determined to do everything we can to back business, support investment and create jobs’ said the Prime Minister.

The extension of the Super Priority Visa Service, which costs £600 more than the normal visa application fee and ensures a decision on a visa application within 24 hours, is already on offer in China and India. It enables applicants to avoid the lengthy bureaucratic hurdles which are normally part and parcel of the visa application process. It has often been feared that these hurdles were pushing many potential business travellers, investors and rich tourists away from visiting the UK, and towards countries with simpler visa services.

However, the extension of the Super Priority Visa Service is designed to discourage these fears and will be rolled out to G20 members Turkey and South Africa, along with Thailand, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates. Visa centres in Paris and New York will also be able to offer this 24 hour fast track service so as to satisfy high levels of industry-specific demand.

Despite Britain’s efforts to appear open for business to the global big fish, the Home Office is keen to emphasise that applicants of the Super Priority Visa Service must still meet the strict requirements set out by the UK immigration rules and that it provides no guarantee that a visa application will be successful.


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