UK home secretary Priti Patel (AFP)

LONDON: The UK government on Monday announced to double fast-track visas for scientists from around the world, including India. UK home secretary Priti Patel said the number of eligible fellowships which can offer accelerated endorsement for visas for scientists wanting to conduct research in the UK will double from 62 to over 120.

Britain’s senior-most Indian-origin minister said the plan builds on PM Boris Johnson ’s outline for a wider pool of world leading scientists and researchers to be able to benefit from a fast-track process to obtain entry into the UK.

“The UK is already a world leader in science... We want to make sure the UK continues to be at the forefront of innovation, so we need an immigration system that attracts the sharpest minds from around the globe,” said Patel. In line with the current process, qualified scientists who receive such fellowships will only need to provide a letter from the relevant funding organisation, which will see them fast-tracked to the UK home office visa application stage where immigration checks will be carried out. The UK government says this will ensure that scientists can begin their innovative work as soon as possible.

