UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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buksida
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UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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In June this year, United Kingdom Visa & Immigration will relocate its visa decision-making centre for Thai nationals from Bangkok to New Delhi in India.

The embassy claimed there will be no changes to the visa application process in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, or to overall service times.

The move is to maximise new technology and allow for independent visa decision-making, the British embassy announced yesterday.

The embassy said that the move to New Delhi will maximise the benefits of new technology that allows for visa-decision making to be "independent of the country of application".

It did not state if any problems had emerged in the decision-making processes at the VFS-Global centres in Bangkok and Chiang Mai to spur the move to New Delhi.

The embassy simply said: "It will drive efficiency savings and achieve greater standardisation of visa decisions around the world."

Applicants in Thailand will see no change to visa service standards and can still apply for visas online and submit their biometrics and documents at the two visa application centres managed by VFS-Global, the embassy added.

According to its website, VFS Global, which was originally launched in India, is the largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide.

Many consulates now outsource visa processing to outside vendors, including the UK. In 2007, VFS-Global won its first global account from UK Visa & Immigration for operations across 33 countries.

Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... s-to-india
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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UK embassies do less and less each year. I think they are practically valueless for most purposes nowadays. In the UAE I had to go to the Indonesian or Malaysian embassy, or a Notary Public to get my signature on a purchase contract authenticated, or to verify a passport copy. The UK Embassy in Bangkok won't do it either. Don't tell me it's about security issues, there are always ways to ensure identity, they are just cutting back on their support of UK citizens overseas, I guess to save money.
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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Time for Indians to get their revenge on Thais for the way Thais think of them. Khama
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

Post by stretch »

if I call my bank in England I am talking to some indian man or woman. who has taken a western name George or jenny and sitting at a desk in some or other call centre in india .
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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India,has been so far advanced, regarding IT not only ahead of european/other Asian counties,that suddenly its frightening,YES?,,,but they are not only advanced in organization,they put it into place,and why?????? Sure some interesting comments!
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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Thistle wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2018 5:32 pm India,has been so far advanced, regarding IT not only ahead of european/other Asian counties,that suddenly its frightening,YES?,,,but they are not only advanced in organization,they put it into place,and why?????? Sure some interesting comments!
Because like a lot of countries where the vast majority of people are worse than dirt poor, if they want to stay at home and not emigrate, graduates of engineering, accounting, economics, you name it must literally fight for jobs that well trained monkeys can do (many of them read from crib sheets in my experience; not the monkeys), but speaking excellent English. It's cost that they are ahead of Europe in, not IT. I don't think it's frightening, just the result of globalisation.
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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I hope the reverse tit for tat isn't going to happen and we brits have to get visa decision-making centre from Deli also :(

Regarding Indians they are brilliant in IT, I remember a colleague in the late 70's was writing computer programs in machine code with a pencil and paper, and explaining to me about computers, which at the time I did,nt know what they were, he later became very wealthy.
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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In 1948 when India become free from its Colonial past it was assumed that the English language would die out. But, it was the 2nd language of ALL the educated Indians and many of the less educated too. So that there are many more English speakers in India than in the UK. Aus and Canada together. It is the unifying language and essentially the national language This has been a HUGE advantage for them.
(Incidentally, the other thing that everybody assumed would die out was Cricket)
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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johnjar wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:57 pm I hope the reverse tit for tat isn't going to happen and we brits have to get visa decision-making centre from Deli also :(

Regarding Indians they are brilliant in IT, I remember a colleague in the late 70's was writing computer programs in machine code with a pencil and paper, and explaining to me about computers, which at the time I did,nt know what they were, he later became very wealthy.
Bit of a silly suggestion given that a visa is a continual work in progress in Thailand, and also Immigration also like to get their bottles of Hong Tong slid in a plastic bag over counter number 5.

I agree that many of the Indian IT professionals I have met in the UK and the UAE have been very good (or at the least very hard workers). Some of course have been lazy/rubbish. In general they have the aptitude to study hard, due to the fierce natural selection process in their home country.

IT call centres in India can be very hit and miss though. But as I said their English is usually very good ("My goodness Dave, why are you working in India?").
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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oakdale160 wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:16 am In 1948 when India become free from its Colonial past it was assumed that the English language would die out. But, it was the 2nd language of ALL the educated Indians and many of the less educated too. So that there are many more English speakers in India than in the UK. Aus and Canada together. It is the unifying language and essentially the national language This has been a HUGE advantage for them.
(Incidentally, the other thing that everybody assumed would die out was Cricket)
Precisely so. As an large and increasingly influential world trade player, I really don't see Indians learning the Chinese language en bloc, as was suggested might be necessary for them in another thread. Business English is the way forward for a long time to come, maybe always, and India has a strong handle on it.
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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404cameljockey wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:16 am
johnjar wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:57 pm I hope the reverse tit for tat isn't going to happen and we brits have to get visa decision-making centre from Deli also :(

Regarding Indians they are brilliant in IT, I remember a colleague in the late 70's was writing computer programs in machine code with a pencil and paper, and explaining to me about computers, which at the time I did,nt know what they were, he later became very wealthy.
Bit of a silly suggestion given that a visa is a continual work in progress in Thailand, and also Immigration also like to get their bottles of Hong Tong slid in a plastic bag over counter number 5.

I really can't agree with your comment about Hong Tong (bribery), In 10 years here I have never encountered anything of this nature. I am sure some will say it happens.

Also as I have stated many times, beware of the defamation law when you make statements like that.
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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16 years and have always found immigration to be courteous and efficient. Certainly no sign of 'bribery'. When I first arrived here, a trip to immigration meant driving to Prachuab Khirikhan.
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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I encountered a situation when I first moved here where a little compensation was necessary. However, it was definitely a win/win situation and the alternative would have cost me much more.
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Re: UK shifts visas for Thai nationals to India

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StevePIraq wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:49 am
404cameljockey wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:16 am
johnjar wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:57 pm I hope the reverse tit for tat isn't going to happen and we brits have to get visa decision-making centre from Deli also :(

Regarding Indians they are brilliant in IT, I remember a colleague in the late 70's was writing computer programs in machine code with a pencil and paper, and explaining to me about computers, which at the time I did,nt know what they were, he later became very wealthy.
Bit of a silly suggestion given that a visa is a continual work in progress in Thailand, and also Immigration also like to get their bottles of Hong Tong slid in a plastic bag over counter number 5.

I really can't agree with your comment about Hong Tong (bribery), In 10 years here I have never encountered anything of this nature. I am sure some will say it happens.

Also as I have stated many times, beware of the defamation law when you make statements like that.
I don't ask that you agree with me; totally up to you. I'm only saying that I have seen when a farang with Thai wife had trouble getting something done there. After quite some time, a quick trip by the wife to their car and return with a bottle in a carrier bag solved the difficulty. I didn't say the officer asked for any goods, I'm saying that a transfer of an item took place and the immigration transaction over which there had been a lot of discussion and obvious difficulty previously took place quickly afterwards.

I also am sure that you are aware from comments here before that one can get a visa from immigration if one doesn't have the required cash in one's bank account.

Some will indeed say it happens. I don't have anything more to add!

+++

HHTel, I also have always found them courteous and efficient, that was not the point I made.
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