Student visa numbers soar after new rules take effect

The number of students entering the UK from India and Bangladesh has risen sharply since a new visa system began.

The UK Border Agency had said it believed the total number of students was "roughly the same" as last year.

But a Freedom of Information request has revealed the number of students entering from these countries alone nearly tripled over the summer.

The Home Office insists that the figures do not reflect a global trend.

'Raise the bar'

The new points-based immigration system was introduced last year. It was designed to be tougher and more selective than the old one.

The then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith promised that the new system would "raise the bar" and lead to "fewer migrants coming to the UK from outside the EU".

But earlier this month, immigration officers told BBC Radio 5 live they feared more bogus students are arriving in the UK under the new system, partly because of the large volume of arrivals which must be processed.

Officers said a significant number of those arriving on student visas had previously been denied entry to the UK, and they suspected that many had come here to work and not study.

One Heathrow-based whistleblower told the Donal MacIntyre programme that many so-called students could not speak English, and knew nothing about the courses they claimed to be studying.

He said many of these students came from the Indian subcontinent.

Sharp increase

Responding to the immigration officers' concerns, Jeremy Oppenheim, who runs the points-based system at the UK Border Agency, said that the number of students coming into the UK this year was "roughly the same as last year".

But figures subsequently obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act show there has been a sharp increase in the number of student visas granted in India and Bangladesh - two of the biggest centres for non-EU student visa applications.

Between June and August 2008 (before the new system for students came into force), the British High Commissions in Mumbai, New Delhi and Dhaka issued 6,771 student visas.

During the same period this year (under the new points-based immigration system), the three offices issued 19,950 visas - an increase of 195 per cent.

The number of student visa applications rejected also rose from 3,997 to 6,261.

'Flexible'

The government says it has cracked down on bogus colleges, and that the number of institutions able to bring students into the UK from outside the European Union has been halved since the introduction of the new points-based immigration system.

In a statement, Mr Oppenheim told the Donal MacIntyre programme: "The UK Border Agency has 74 visa-issuing posts worldwide, so three cities should not be taken as representative of a global trend.

"The points-based system is designed to be flexible," he added.

"It enables us to regularly check and monitor all student applications and colleges to ensure that they meet the required standards, and take action where necessary."

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Muslim Post Office Manager Bans Woman from Sending Parcel To Her Son Serving in Afghanistan

A Muslim post office manager in Cardiff has refused to serve a British soldier’s mother — because her son serves in Afghanistan.

The shocking story, which shows precisely how far mass Third World immigration has created a fifth column of anti-British elements in this country, has emerged after the woman, Mrs Maria Davies, contacted the British National Party in Wales to ask for assistance.

“Mrs Davies’ 21-year-old son is a soldier in a Welsh regiment who recently began an eight month tour of duty in Afghanistan,"

“For many mothers with sons on active service for their country, it can be a constant worry until they return safely. It is of great importance for a mother to be able to go to her local post office to send her son a parcel or money,” he said.

“Imagine, then, Mrs Davies’ shock when the owner of her local post office in Wilson Road, Ely, Cardiff, a certain Mr Khan, asked her where her son was serving.

“When she told him Afghanistan, he informed her that she was not welcome to send him anything from her post office, either packages or money,” Mr Mahoney said. He also instructed his staff not to serve her.

“All this took place publicly in the shop in front of witnesses,” he continued. “It left Mrs Davies astonished, frustrated and upset.”

Even a neighbour who later offered to post her parcel was refused service because they had identified from whom the parcel was being sent.

The post office and the shop at the end of the road is a vitally important service to the local community and Mrs Davies was bewildered at being made to feel an outcast in her own country by a hostile immigrant from the Third World.

Mrs Davies then contacted South Wales BNP and was interviewed on camera by Mr Mahoney, the result of which can be viewed below.

“We tried to contact Mr Khan to ask for a statement by telephoning him at his post office premises on 029 205 91511, but apparently he is away in India at the moment,” Mr Mahoney said.

“We spoke with his manageress though, a June Thomas who is carrying out his instructions, but she refused to comment.

“We don’t know why Mr Khan should feel he has any authority at all to dictate to British mothers in this country that they are not allowed to post parcels to British soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Maybe it would be a good idea for the British public to ask Mr Khan for themselves, in a polite fashion, of course.”

Its amazing how UNISON, TUC, NUS, Labour, Conservatives and other supporters of the UAF can justify demonstrating at the RWB festival. Is this what they want for Britain, why are they hell bent on preventing the British people voting to end this?



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