Written question asked by Laurence Robertson (Conservative) on Tuesday, 6 March 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 March 2012. It was answered by Damian Green (Conservative) on Monday, 12 March 2012 on behalf of the Home Office.

Entry Clearances

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on charging representatives of Chernobyl children's charities for visas to enter the UK.

Answer: As children from Belarus are commonly considered to have been worst affected by the Chernobyl disaster, visa applications to the British embassy in Minsk are processed free of charge for charities that have signed a UK Border Agency (UKBA) memorandum of understanding. Alongside the provision of free visas, this agreement ensures that the proper safeguards are in place and provides for mobile biometric collection facilities and other benefits for the charities.Unfortunately, in line with a number of other difficult spending decisions, the gratis scheme will cease on 31 March 2013. The charities were informed of this decision in November 2010.The cost of the gratis visas in Belarus are currently charged to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by UKBA.

Secondary information