"In July 2008, South African passport holders were amongst those singled out by the United Kingdom during a global review[17] as likely to require visas by the end of 2008 unless the countries in question take measures to reduce the perceived risk they pose to the UK. This finding came after the uncovering a major multi-national people smuggling operation involving the fraudulent issuing of genuine South African travel documents to foreign nationals. During two trials that concluded in July 2007 and January 2008 in the United Kingdom, it was revealed that at least 89 Indian citizens had been issued with South African passports by corrupt officials in South Africa's Department of Home Affairs, and that these passports were subsequently used by those Indian citizens to enter Britain illegally. During the trial, a witness testified that one of the scheme's ring leaders boasted of bringing 6000 illegal immigrants into the United Kingdom on fraudulently issued South African passports[18][19][20]. The United Kingdom introduced new visa requirements for South Africans on 3 March 2009. From 3 March 2009 to 1 July 2009, South African citizens who had previously entered the United Kingdom and had evidence of their visit in their current passport (i.e. a UK entry stamp) were exempted from the new visa requirements. As of 1 July 2009, all South African passport holders require a visa to enter or transit through the UK.[21]"Let's just say that makes me a little more than mad... So that's why we no longer have free travel to the UK! I did wonder.
Monday, 27 September 2010
Argh!
An article in Wiki....
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Ooooh wow, scary!
ReplyDeleteMore paperwork??
ReplyDeleteYes, Jaime... freaky!
ReplyDeleteKatey, for me to go just about anywhere worthwhile, there will be paperwork. I have wondered for ages now why we need to apply for visas to enter the UK. Now I know. Ireland loves us though ; )
Oh don't even go there - we're on IRA alert over here again! Just what we need - recession, Unions striking and IRA terrorist threats on the mainland again!! :P
ReplyDeleteIt's not just people smuggling but child smuggling, heavy drugs and terrorists coming through SA these days.
Yep... strange thing is that Brazil has the same issue with SA, but we're now welcome here. Go figure. What does an IRA alert involve for you? Just the usual terrorist threats? You guys should be fairly used to that (sad, isn't it?)
ReplyDeleteWell there haven't been any big attackssince 1994. But they tend to choose very public places. I seriously can not go through this shit again. Once in a lifetime is enough already!!
ReplyDeleteYuck. I hear you there.... totally!
ReplyDeleteOh good heavens, Tint. How is Tat? I hope this is not another eleven year (was it that long?) stint for you again.
ReplyDeleteKatey-sorry to hear about all the mess...again. :(
No, Kat. We're all so much wiser now : ) It's a simple matter of applying for a visa to go many places. No more than we expected. I have just puzzled over this issue for a long time. South Africa was a British protectorate until fairly recently (1961), so it puzzled me that they were so strict. Now I know why. It's the classic case of a few spoiling it for the rest. Tat is fine. Her visa is pretty specific though.
ReplyDeleteArgh!
ReplyDeleteYebo..... that's the way it is.
ReplyDeleteIt figures. Shitheads.
ReplyDeleteHush! *laughing* Ya think?
ReplyDeleteI have a friend in Nepal who had a student visa program going, and suddenly the UK stopped issuing visas. Must be the same thing as you posted. He had to change his business to airline tickets. So his whole business was shot because of that change.
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is that once again, the whole pays for a mistake of a few.. which always makes me so mad!
ReplyDeleteKatey, are you serious about the IRA alerts?! these days?!
Yes there's heightened alerts now because in the last year there have been at least a dozen "incidents" in Northern Ireland - police shootings, small bombs etc.
ReplyDeleteMy! I thought those days were over!
ReplyDelete