forget about a UK visa!

[pup zemly]

Have you heard the news that any person (at least from ex USSR), who wants to receive a UK visa, will have to pass his finger print or smth like that?
It is to be done only in 3 embassies, located in Russia. They said that not everyone would agree to go to Moscow, spending money on tickets and hotel, to give their finger prints, without being sure that the visa would be approved.

[Manny]

Have you heard the news that any person (at least from ex USSR), who wants to receive a UK visa, will have to pass his finger print or smth like that?
It is to be done only in 3 embassies, located in Russia. They said that not everyone would agree to go to Moscow, spending money on tickets and hotel, to give their finger prints, without being sure that the visa would be approved.

Do you have an official link to this? I have never heard of it.

[Olga]

Do you have an official link to this? I have never heard of it.

http://www.ukvisas.ru/

С 8 ноября для получения британской визы надо сдавать отпечатки пальцев.
Для получения визы надо пройти процедуру дактилоскопии

Начиная с 8 ноября 2007 г. все желающие получить визу в Великобританию должны будут пройти процедуру дактилоскопии. У каждого заявителя старше 5 лет будут сканировать отпечатки пальцев рук, а также делать специальную цифровую фотографию. Посольство Великобритании в Москве сообщает, что процедура биометрической идентификации вводится с целью противодействия фальсификации виз и защиты личности.

[Olga]

UK to require fingerprint visas

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-08/22/content_6582167.htm

Fingerprinting snares visa cheats

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6936139.stm

[pup zemly]

Do you have an official link to this? I have never heard of it.

I read it one a news site and then I heard it on TV

[Wiz]

http://www.ukvisas.ru

This is not the official British Embassy site about the new system of Biometrics and finger prints on the Application:

This is the correct one:

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1089130599970

THIS IS THE IMPORTANT NEWS:
 
From 8 November 2007 all visa applicants, irrespective of nationality, will have to present themselves in person to the British Embassy to have their fingerscans and digital photograph taken. There is no charge for this service in addition to the visa fee.
 
Applicants should apply, as now, at the Visa Application Centres:

In Moscow - Bolshoy Savvinskiy Pereulok 12, building 18
In St Petersburg – 1st floor, Ozernoy pereulok 7
In Ekaterinburg – 10th Floor, Office 1002, Gogol St. 36
 

The Visa Application Centre in Novosibirsk will close on 31 October.  At present it receives only 0.7% of all visa applications in Russia.
 
Applicants are welcome, indeed encouraged, to use the services of a reputable agent to lodge their application on their behalf.  More than 70% of applicants already do this.
 
Following their initial application, applicants will be given a date and time, most often on the next working day, at which to present themselves to the British Embassy for the collection of their biometric data.
 
Unless otherwise advised, all visa applicants must have their fingerscans and a digital photograph taken.  The application cannot be processed if an applicant refuses, or cannot provide, acceptable biometric data.
 
Fingerscans will be collected from each applicant using an electronic scanner.  No ink, liquid or chemical will be used. A digital photograph will be taken at the same time and the whole procedure should take no more than five minutes to complete.
 
All applicants should ensure that their fingertips are free from any forms of decoration (henna, for example), abrasions or other markings, and that any facial cuts and bruises have healed or disappeared prior to providing their biometric data as these may affect their ability to provide acceptable fingerscans and photographs. Digital photographs cannot be taken with applicants wearing head coverings that hide the face, dark glasses, face or neck coverings. Visa applications cannot be processed until applicants are able to provide acceptable fingerscans and photographs.
 
Please note that Visa Facilitation Services (VFS), our commercial partner in the Russian Federation, provides a visa application support service only.  VFS staff will have no power or influence over the outcome of an application. The decision to issue or refuse a visa is made solely by Entry Clearance Officers at the British Embassy.  VFS’s role is entirely impartial.  VFS staff will provide visa information but they cannot offer immigration advice.
 
It remains our commitment to ensure the integrity of our visa process.  Any applicant submitting false documentation or other information in support of their application may be refused a visa and the matter may be referred to the local authorities.
 
For further information about the application process please visit the websites of the UK Visa Application Centre at  www.ukvac-ru.com, or the British Embassy at www.britaininrussia.ru.

[JazzyClassic]

Well I think it was always hard to get Uk visa , so no matter what they will invent else,  it can not be any worse  really   

[pup zemly]

Well I think it was always hard to get Uk visa , so no matter what they will invent else,  it can not be any worse  really   

next time they'll ask for a чемодан г 

[Manny]

Well I think it was always hard to get Uk visa , so no matter what they will invent else,  it can not be any worse  really   

Its actually one of the easy ones, and very fast unlike the States. They only reject 3-5% of applicants. Men will pay for women to travel for this anyway, maybe do a long weekend in Moscow, so little will change in practice except we pay more - but we are used to that in England anyway! 

Thanks folks for the details. 

[Wiz]

Well I think it was always hard to get Uk visa , so no matter what they will invent else,  it can not be any worse  really   

Jazzy

All large countries including Russia have a problem with immigration and they try to find ways to control it.

Last Monday your own Government changed the rules about getting Business Visa, redused the number of days from 365 to 180 per year you can stay in Russia and now you have to apply in your OWN country to get one. For example if an Aussie is in UK and wants to visit Russia he can not apply in the Russian Consulate in London but only in Canberra, in Australia.

The British Government is implementing the introduction of Biometric and finger prints because they want to keep control on immigration which for the past 10 years went out of control in UK. Basically the Government has not a clue how many illegal immigrants are in the country.

When Poland joined the EU only the first year 500,000 poles moved to UK legally. Are you aware that there are more than 500,000 Russians and also the same and probably larger number of Ukrainians in UK?

The Bad thing about Russians and other Nationalities is that you have to visit the Consulate personally and at the moment there are only 3 Centres in Russia. Moscow, St Peters and Yekaterinburg.....very costly and time consuming for the poor Russians.

As about you do not worry. You will get your Visa with no problems.......when you finish your UNI. They can not refuse you the Spouse Visa because of the Human rights Act.....How they can say to your husband that you can not come and join him in his house?

Just for you information....the immigration service here, if they have suspicion that your wedding is bogus they will make a home investigation to see that you are sleeping on the same bed with your hubby and they can also order a Medical examination of you to find out if the marriage has been consummated and you are not still a girl......

3-4 years ago they did that and found an Indian woman still a Virgin after a year of marriage and they send her back to India. It is a true story......no joke, ask your husband.

You would not believe how many such marriages they discover all the time here......

But for you beautiful Russian woman.... no problem. You will go through immigration like a flash......due to your poor English....

[pup zemly]

i remember a woman, whom I helped, was having an interview for the UK visa. I am sorry for the man, who was running that interview. 
Every his question was answered with her question. She pissed him off so much ... He has to postpone the interview till the next day. 
But she received the visa. Though she never used it 

[mirror]

OO!! I see I am lucky! I got a visa automatically without any interview and any problem when I asked that for a visit my  cousin in the UK.

[DonA]

OO!! I see I am lucky! I got a visa automatically without any interview and any problem when I asked that for a visit my  cousin in the UK.

Congratulations mirror thats wonderful and I hope you enjoy your trip


DonAz

[Olga_Mouse]

So here's the new pearl from www.anekdot.ru (for those who can understand).

Английское посольство ввело новые правила выдачи виз. Теперь нужно будет обязательно сделать анализ ДНК, сфотографировать сетчатку и сдать отпечатки пальцев.

Для удобства россиян из других городов можно прислать глаз и палец по почте.

    

[Chris]

So here's the new pearl from www.anekdot.ru (for those who can understand).

Английское посольство ввело новые правила выдачи виз. Теперь нужно будет обязательно сделать анализ ДНК, сфотографировать сетчатку и сдать отпечатки пальцев.

Для удобства россиян из других городов можно прислать глаз и палец по почте.

    

     They may just get some delivered that way 

[pup zemly]

So here's the new pearl from www.anekdot.ru (for those who can understand).

Английское посольство ввело новые правила выдачи виз. Теперь нужно будет обязательно сделать анализ ДНК, сфотографировать сетчатку и сдать отпечатки пальцев.

Для удобства россиян из других городов можно прислать глаз и палец по почте.

    

 
I am lucky that I have never wanted to visit this country

[Wiz]

<Лиса и виноград >все знают эту басню. Думаю эта страна  не много потеряла.....

We all know the story of the "Fox and the grapes". I think this country will have not much to loose!


On a serious note I don't think much has changed on the Visa front and the basic rules are the same with the additional inconvinience to the applicants to have to visit personally the Consulates.

If applicants are clever enough and know English or have somebody to help them (they do that now anyway) they can take this opporunity and save the additional fees charged by the UK Visa Centre, run by a very inefficient Russian company, and make their applications directly!

Let's not forget the chnages made in Russia just last month about the Business Visa which will have a huge impact to the ex pats working in Russia. I was told that to get a working visa in Russia now it takes nearly 4 months if everything is going smoothly!

[Olga]

 

Originally the fable "The fox and the grapes" is the one of many famous stories included in Aesop's fables. The Russian fabulist - moralist  Ivan Krylov adapted the Aesop's fable translating into Russian.

"The eye sees, but the tooth cannot reach"
"Хоть видит око, да зуб неймёт"



From Wikipedia
The Fox and the Grapes is a fable attributed to Aesop. The protagonist, a fox, upon failing to find a way to reach grapes hanging high up on a vine, retreated and said: "The grapes are sour anyway!" The moral is stated at the end of the fable as:

    It is easy to despise what you cannot get.

The English idiom "sour grapes" - derived from this fable - refers to the denial of one's desire for something that one fails to acquire or to the person who holds such denial. Similar expressions exist in other languages. In psychology, this behavior is known as rationalization. It may also be called reduction of cognitive dissonance.

In colloquial speech the idiom is often applied to someone who loses and fails to do so gracefully. Strictly speaking, it should be applied to someone who, after losing, denies the intention to win altogether. The phrase is often misused by those unaware of the original story, who imagine it refers to general "bitterness" or "resentment".

[Olga_Mouse]

If applicants are clever enough and know English or have somebody to help them (they do that now anyway) they can take this opporunity and save the additional fees charged by the UK Visa Centre, run by a very inefficient Russian company, and make their applications directly!

Aha, just the company that created all the Visa Application centers - for UK, Belgium & Holland, Spain, France - is actually owned by Indians... 

[Wiz]

Aha, just the company that created all the Visa Application centers - for UK, Belgium & Holland, Spain, France - is actually owned by Indians... 

Olga

To be honest I don't care who is the owner of this company...... all I know is that they are extremely hopeless......and their service is crap and to top it up they have this expensive telphone to call 60 rubles a minute.... minimum 120 charge and take at least 5-10 minutes to answer.......but I did not have to pay it..... because calling via voicecheap. does not charge me.......the reverse charges. That give a very bad impression for the British Consulate and England.

I only spoke to persons who were Russians... very limited English....and a lot of bS... in simple questions.

In my view it would much better if the Russians deal directly with the consulate........and maybe people like you and also Julie can offer better help to do it directly than those pratts I dealt with.

[pup zemly]

Today I have heard that it'll be possible to apply for a UK visa and fill in the apl.  online

[Wiz]

LATEST VISA SECTION NEWS


http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1089130599970

January 2008 – “LEADING THE WAY” VIDEO
 
UKvisas has uploaded it's marketing DVD - "Leading the Way" onto YouTube. The DVD was produced to get across key messages from UKvisas and to reassure our customers that the UK remains a destination of choice for genuine travellers.
 
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDlFL8jIeys 

 
 
 
 
January 2008 - IMPORTANT NOTICE - FOR ALL APPLICANTS FOR A UNITED KINGDOM VISA
 
In January 2008 the arrangements for the collection of biometric data will be amended.  Instead of attending the Embassy in Moscow or the Consulates-General in St Petersburg or Ekaterinburg, all visa applications, irrespective of nationality, will have their fingerscans collected and digital photograph taken as part of the application process at their respective Visa Application Centre ( VAC ).

The new procedures come into force on the following dates:

St Petersburg - 10 January 2008
Moscow - 14 January 2008
Ekaterinburg - 17 January 2008

To facilitate the change in process the VACs will close for the receipt of new applications, but be open for collection of passports, on the following dates:

St Petersburg - 9 January 2008
Moscow - 11 January 2008
Ekaterinburg - 16 January 2008

Unless otherwise advised, all visa applicants must have their fingerscans and a digital photograph taken.  The application cannot be processed if an applicant refuses, or cannot provide, acceptable biometric data.

Fingerscans will be collected from each applicant using an electronic scanner.  No ink, liquid or chemical will be used. A digital photograph will be taken at the same time and the whole application procedure should take no more than fifteen to twenty minutes to complete.

All applicants should ensure that their fingertips are free from any forms of decoration (henna, for example), abrasions or other markings, and that any facial cuts and bruises have healed or disappeared prior to providing their biometric data as these may affect their ability to provide acceptable fingerscans and photographs. Digital photographs cannot be taken with applicants wearing head coverings that hide the face, dark glasses, face or neck coverings. Visa applications cannot be processed until applicants are able to provide acceptable fingerscans and photographs.

Please note that Visa Facilitation Services (VFS), our commercial partner in the Russian Federation, provides a visa application support service only.
VFS staff will have no power or influence over the outcome of an application. The decision to issue or refuse a visa is made solely by Entry Clearance Officers at the British Embassy.  VFS’s role is entirely
impartial.  VFS staff will provide visa information but they cannot offer immigration advice.

It remains our commitment to ensure the integrity of our visa process.  Any applicant submitting false documentation or other information in support of their application may be refused a visa and the matter may be referred to the local authorities.

For further information about the application process please visit the websites of the UK Visa Application Centre at www.ukvac-ru.com, or the British Embassy at www.britaininrussia.ru.
 

[Ste]

As about you do not worry. You will get your Visa with no problems.......when you finish your UNI. They can not refuse you the Spouse Visa because of the Human rights Act.....How they can say to your husband that you can not come and join him in his house?

They can and do Wiz, if they think the marriage is one of convienience, or the applicant has a poor uk immigration history, has previously overstayed (all overstayers are refused now) or the sponsor plain cannot afford to support an extra person.

Human rights not a issue, you can go and live in Russia or somewhere else. That's the HO mantra, not me!

[JazzyClassic]

well I hope things will be ok with our visa, finally it will be ridiculous if they refuse

[Wiz]

well I hope things will be ok with our visa, finally it will be ridiculous if they refuse

How they can refuse a married and beautiful woman like you?

When are you finishing the Uni?