N India students face heat over UK visa suspension

Chandigarh, Feb 2: Hundreds of students from north India are facing the heat over UK Government decision to temporarily stop accepting visa applications.

Due to this indefinite suspension, students fear that they would lose lakhs of rupees who have already paid their tuition fees to study in UK.

Hemant Moudgil, a student, said, "I had to join a college in London in the first week of Mar. I have the offer letter in my hand and I have already paid the tuition fees. Now it looks next to impossible to get a visa in time in the wake of this suspension."

Manish Sharma, another student said, "I had my appointment on Feb 15 at the visa application centre but this move has jeopardized all my plans. Now my money is blocked with the college and if I apply for the refund of fees, then I have to suffer a huge penalty as per college norms."

Nigel Casey, British Deputy High Commissioner, said, "The admissions process is an arrangement only between the student and the college and we cannot intervene. However we hope that genuine colleges will understand this situation but we cannot play any role in it."

On Monday, Feb 1, the British High Commission temporarily suspended acceptance of student visa applications from north India.

The suspension was the direct result of a 10-time increase in visa applications at three visa application centres of Chandigarh, Jalandhar and New Delhi.

OneIndia News