Thursday, March 16 2006 14:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Stating that the British Government has launched a new points system to enable the United Kingdom effectively and speedily handle the demand for visas, the British Deputy High Commissioner for South India, Mike Connor today(Mar 16,2006) cautioned visa applicants against being exploited by some unscrupulous agents.

Stating that 15 per cent of visa applications were turned down last year for various reasons, including false documents like company certificates, qualification certificates and bank statements, he told a press conference here that visa seekers could go online and have a self appraisal of their standing, vis-a-vis the points system.

Last month, 300 applicants were rejected by the Chennai office for containing forged documents, he said.

"The new system, based on objectivity and qualifications and to tackle abuse and identify most talented workers, would reflect aptitude, experience, age and also the level of need in any given sector," he said.

To be implemented in a phased manner, the scheme, launched by the British Home Secretary on March 8 last, would also be complemented with a tougher approach to weed out false applications and place increased obligations on UK business houses and educational institutions, who would be held responsible for those they sponsor.

He said the scheme consolidates over 80 existing work and study routes into five tiers highly skilled (scientists and entrepreneurs), skilled workers with job offers, low skilled workers, filling specific temporary shortages, student and youth mobility and temporary workers.