Supporting tourism to the UK: John Penrose welcomes action to put visitor visa guidance in local languages
New set of guidance notes for visitor visa applications to the UK translated for the first time into the local languages of our key markets.
A new set of guidance notes for visitor visa applications to the UK, translated for the first time into the local languages of our key markets, was welcomed today by Tourism Minister John Penrose.
The UK Border Agency has published guidance for visitor visas in Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Hindi, Russian, Thai and Turkish in a move to support the UK鈥檚 inbound tourist industry.
John Penrose said:
鈥淭ourism is big business for the UK.聽 And next year鈥檚 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the Queen鈥檚 Diamond Jubilee, will encourage people to come here as never before.聽 The Government has pledged to clear away as many of the obstacles that make life difficult for overseas tourist visitors as it can, and this is an important - and much needed - step in the right direction.
鈥淭hese translated guidance notes for visitor visas will make the visa application process more straightforward for tourists and business visitors from the key markets of India, China, Russia, Turkey, Thailand and the Gulf States.鈥�
Notes to Editors
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Further information is available聽on the 飞别产蝉颈迟别.听
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Visitors from the majority of the UK鈥檚 top current tourist markets do not require a visa聽to visit the UK, for example the USA, Japan, Brazil or the EU countries.
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The Government published its tourism policy paper in March 2011 with a section on聽entry visas, including a pledge to make 鈥榞uidance available in local languages wherever possible鈥�.
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