RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 337
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2018
BRITISH ASSESSMENT ON INDIANS OVERSTAYING IN UK
337. SHRI N. GOKULAKRISHNAN:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that Government has questioned Britains assessment of the number of Indians overstaying their visa the U.K.;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Government has called for policies based on statistics, amid an ongoing controversy over Britains failure to include Indian students in the relaxation of visa norms; and
(d) whether the action by Britain was on account of Government’s failure to sign an MoU on the return of illegal immigrants?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) & (b) No. The United Kingdom has never officially published any assessment as to the number of Indians overstaying their visa in the UK.
(c) & (d) The issue of non-inclusion of Indian students in UK’s "streamlined visa application process for foreign students” announced on 15 June 2018 was raised with the relevant UK authorities. The UK High Commission in its Note Verbale dated 9th July 2018
to the MEA stated that Indian students will face no difference in procedures as a result of the announcement.
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