UK to review visa rule blocking Indians

Following demonstrations and legal action, the Theresa May government has said it will review cases of hundreds of skilled professionals from India affected by a rule intended to prevent criminals and terrorists from settling in the United Kingdom.

The rule, 322 (5) of the Immigration Act, is designed to deal with criminals and those considered threat to national security, but has been invoked when applications by Indian and other professionals for indefinite stay show errors in tax returns.

Immigration minister Caroline Nokes told the Home Affairs Select Committee of Parliament on Tuesday that the Home Office will review the cases, adding that Britain always welcomed the brightest and the best who contribute to the country.

She said: “I’m always concerned, particularly when it is people who have been contributing to this country, whether economically or culturally to our communities, as part of our communities, when we are not about performing to the best of our ability.”

Nokes, however, added that her department was under “enormous workload” and its top current priority is to deal with the recent Windrush controversy, for which May and others in the government have apologised.

The situation faced Indian professionals has attained a high public profile due to the coverage they received in British media.

For example, The Guardian highlighted the case of Nisha Mohite, a pharmaceutical specialist from Mumbai who came to the UK for higher studies in 2008 and went on to set up a consultancy. When she applied for permanent residency in 2016, her application was rejected due to an error in her tax records.

Mohite and hundreds of others have been facing financial bankruptcy and worse due to the Home Office interpreting tax errors as dishonesty and invoking the rule that prevents criminals and terrorists from settling in the UK.

LONDON: