DOHA: There was a sharp increase of 24 percent in the number of applications by Qataris seeking UK visas until April this year compared to last year’s figures, said outgoing Ambassador, Michael O’Neill, yesterday.
“The number of visa applications increased from 17,000 in 2010 to 34,000 in 2012. We do not have the exact figures for May and June, but until April 2013, it increased by 24 percent compared to last year,” he said.
Asked if the embassy would consider introducing any special provisions for Qataris seeking visas, he said: “We have standard rules that are applicable for every country. But keeping in view the increasing number of applications over the past several months, we have introduced a number of changes to improve the visa assistance process, including the size of staff. We are very happy about the number of Qataris willing to travel to the UK.”
O’Neill added: “The team that handles applications at the embassy has grown in size. We try to make sure the process is as quick as possible. And we have also introduced a priority service, with an extra amount of fee, for those seeking a quick service.”
The Peninsula
