centers, located in Taipei in northern Taiwan and Kaohsiung in the south, on July 26 to take over visa operations from the office. The Taipei-based British Trade and Cultural Office (BTCO) has stopped accepting visa applications since July 20 as it prepares to turn over responsibility for applications to the new centers, BTCO said in a news release.
On July 26, the new Visa Application Centers will also begin to implement a new measure mandating that all visa applicants have their fingerprints scanned and a digital photograph taken for the application.
The British government has been introducing the collection of biometric data — fingerprinting and digital photographs — for all visa applicants worldwide as part of efforts to combat visa fraud and abuse of the United Kingdom‘s immigration and asylum system, the news release said.
The new Visa Application Centers will be run on the BTCO‘s behalf by its new commercial partner, VFS Taiwan Ltd. However, BTCO staff will continue to make decisions on whether or not to issue visas.
BTCO Director Michael Reilly explained earlier this week that the measure was designed to offer better services to foreign visitors to Britain as the biometric data will ensure both aa higher level of security an a simplified procedure for travelers to pass through customs.
Britain has adopted new visa procedures in 64 nations, Reilly said, while expressing hope for a smooth implementation in Taiwan.
According to BTCO data, 25,000 Taiwanese people obtained visitor visas from the office in 2006, while 9,653 Taiwanese students applied for UK student visas that year, the largest number of UK student visas ever issued in Taiwan.
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