§ Ann KeenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made to establish the British Consulate office in Jalandhar, Punjab; and if it will provide full consulate services. [4799]
§ Mr. BradshawWe propose to open visa liaison offices in Jalandhar (Punjab) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat). The objective behind this initiative is to make our visa services in India more accessible to our customers. The offices, which will be staffed by locally employed personnel, will assist applicants in completing visa application formalities and offering guidance on visa related matters to those who need it. We also hope that entry clearance officers from Delhi and Bombay will visit the offices on a regular basis to assess the visa applications of those who would find it difficult to undertake the long journey to one of our visa issuing posts, such as old and infirm applicants.
The Indian authorities have welcomed these proposals, but have not yet given formal approval. Without this, we are unable to identify office accommodation or to recruit 486W and train new staff. But we remain committed to opening these offices as soon as possible, and are ready to move quickly once formal agreement is given.