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Trinidadians face tough visa restrictions for UK entry.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, July 14, 2008 -

Citizens from Trinidad and Tobago are among those who could have to go through strict visa screening before being allowed into the United Kingdom.
The UK Home Office said that tough new visa regimes could be introduced following the just concluded first global review of who needs a visa to enter the UK.
"The Visa Waiver Test reviewed all non European countries against a set of strict criteria to determine the level of risk they pose to the UK in terms of illegal immigration, crime and security, to help decide where the new regime may be required," a release said.
That criteria included looking at passport security and integrity, the degree of cooperation over deportation or removal of a country's nationals from the UK, levels of illegal working in the UK and other immigration abuse, levels of crime and terrorism risk posed to the UK, and the extent to which a country's authorities were addressing these threats.
According to the Home Office, the results of the Visa Waiver Test showed a strong case for introducing visa regimes for 11 countries: Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
"The government will introduce visa requirements for short-term visitors from these countries unless they significantly reduce the risk they pose to the UK by the end of the year. This means visitors from these countries would need to apply for a six-month visa, and provide their fingerprints, before travelling to the UK," the release indicated, adding that government will also work with these countries over the next six months to reduce the risk they pose.
"If they are able to show evidence of change there will be no need to introduce a visa regime. No final decisions will be made until early 2009," it added.
Everyone applying for a UK visa now has their fingerprints checked before their identity is fixed.
Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said that tougher checks abroad are working better than expected.
"We've now checked two million fingerprints of foreign nationals applying for visas and stopped 3,000 people trying to hide their real identity," the UK official said.

"Now we need to decide how to widen the visa net. Three quarters of the world's population need to pass a visa check to come to Britain. We cannot and will not shy away from going wider and will wherever we think there's a risk to the UK."
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