Police called in to control Indian visa applicants

Police forces in Jalandhar, India were forced to close down the Chandrigah UK visa application centre after a massive rush ensued to beat the October 1st deadline, when new rules come into place. The looming deadline, coupled with the spate of recent holidays, led the UK Border Agency to instruct its security guards to shut the front doors at lunchtime in the face of an ever growing crowd.

The tremendous heat and humid conditions also led to some of the crowd fainting, to be taken away to the local hospital for treatment. This further incensed the group outside who began screaming and chanting defamatory slogans at VFS Global Services, the agency that operates the centre. The UKBA officials called on local police for backup and according to one officer the DSP helped disperse the crowd with the aid of a mild baton charge.

The Chandrigah visa centre can normally process upwards of 200 applications per day but the crowd numbered in the thousands, leading the police to create a temporary no pedestrian area around the compound. Anyone found sitting or loitering outside the centre will be arrested. The gates to the centre compound were closed by the UKBA which has also barred access to all outsiders including media. The UKBA has said it will not be accepting any more applications, infuriating hundreds of Indians who have travelled long distances to reach the centre. Some had been camping outside the centre all weekend.

The last minute rush was due in part to the sweeping changes to education visas, with many Indians clamouring to apply under the old rules where the dreaded IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam is not yet mandatory.

On their website VFS Global Services advised the centre will remain closed and advised applicants to postpone visits.