More Saudis head to Britain on UK visas

November 06 2009 by Liam Clifford

The number of people from Saudi Arabia visiting the UK has increased

The number of people from Saudi Arabia who are visiting Britain on UK visas has already increased by 1,000 in the first three quarters of the year.

Figures from UK immigration officials show that in the year up to the end of September, some 79,000 UK visas had been issued to Saudis, which is up by 1,000 compared with the same stage last year.

A fifth of the visa applications were made by UK citizens now living in Saudi Arabia, but the remaining visas were issued to Saudi nationals. In fact, the number expected to be issued over 2009 as a whole may total as many as 100,000 UK visas.

Figures show that a total of 15,000 student visas were issued to Saudi people wishing to come and study in the UK. These visas allow them to live in the UK for the time it takes them to complete their course. More student visa applications are expected to be made in the remaining months of 2009.

UK immigration officials expect the total of UK student visas to be issued in 2009 to exceed the 17,500 issued in 2008. Some 50,000 student visa applications are expected to have been received from Saudi Arabia in 2008 and 2009 alone.

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