M'SIANS WILL STILL ENJOY SIX MONTHS VISA FREE TRAVEL, SAYS BRITISH ENVOY

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysians travelling to Britain will
still get to enjoy six months of visa free travel despite changes to the
United Kingdom's visa arrangements, British High Commisioner to Malaysia Boyd
McCleary said Wednesday.

"I would like to reassure Malaysians that genuine travellers remain welcome
in Britain as they have always been. There is for now at least no general visa
requirement for Malaysians.

"Malaysian visitors to the UK enjoy six months visa free travel. The only
people who require visas at present are those who plan to stay for longer than
six months, to work or to study," he said in a statement here Wednesday.

McCleary issued the statement in response to ongoing media coverage of
changes to the UK's visa arrangements.

He explained that the UK was introducing a Points Based System for
assessing visa applications, similar to the system used by Australia, adding
that it will be introduced in stages over the coming months, depending on visa
category.


He said the first stage was introduced at the end of June and the next,
covering skilled workers with job offers, would go live at the end of this
month.

On the problem of illegal migration to the UK, McCleary said the UK was
addressing the problem under a separate process called the Visa Waiver Test and
for Malaysians, the country was working closely with the Malaysian authorities
and getting excellent cooperation on it.

"A decision will be made on the outcome of this process early next year,"
he added.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim had said Malaysians
who had overstayed and are working without proper permits in the UK must return
home.

-- BERNAMA