Due to record immigration, Great Britain is further tightening the regime for entering the country and from April next year it will require even those coming for the purpose of tourism in the country Bulgarians special permits.
Four years after leaving the EU and ending the free movement of Europeans within its territory, Britain continues to face record immigration. Released data showed that the country's population has increased by 728,000 people in the past year, which is becoming a major public problem. Therefore, the authorities are taking a number of measures such as the introduction of electronic visas and special entry permits even for tourists who are currently freely arriving on the Island and can stay up to 6 months.
If you want to visit the Island after 2 April 2025, you will need to apply online on the British Government website, which promises to process applications within 72 hours.
"The permit is valid for two years. So when someone decides, I think weeks in advance, to release it, because whatever deadlines the government says, they can't be trusted to meet them. There is a large influx. I just think they are understaffed and that will continue. Therefore, if a person knows that he is going to travel, it is better to apply immediately", explained Atanas Chikov, a migration consultant.
Permit applicants will be required to have a valid biometric passport, email address and credit or debit card to pay the £10 fee. According to Chikov, this may prove to be a problem for some compatriots, as well as other requirements. "These permits should be issued to every single person, as long as there are no criminal manifestations, if he has done something in the past in Great Britain. Best to wait to buy a plane ticket. As, for example, the Americans always advise when applying for their electronic visas, not to buy a plane ticket until you receive your electronic visa," said the consultant quoted by Nova TV.
Visas to enter the UK to work, study or join a family will also become electronic-only from January next year, but authorities have promised a 3-month grace period as thousands of people emerged with only paper passports .
"The residence status is an electronic visa, nothing should be done with it. But if a Bulgarian lived years ago in England and has visas placed in his passport, after December 31 they will not be valid. So there are also people who have spouses from other nations outside the EU, they have some special biometric cards similar to ID cards, they will also not be valid as a physical document after December 31st. And each one of them must have an electronic visa, which is applied for online, permission is obtained and the visa is proved electronically," Atanas Chikov announced.
The European Union is also preparing to introduce electronic permits for British tourists. He even planned to do it in November, but gave up because of concerns that it could create difficulties during the winter holidays and lead to an outflow of English people to the ski resorts of European countries.