KUALA LUMPUR: The increase in the visa fee, from 220 British pounds (RM1,085) to 255 British pounds (RM1,259) effective April 6, for Malaysian students going to Britain corresponded with the actual cost of processing the visa application, British High Commissioner-designate to Malaysia Simon Featherstone said yesterday.
“I hope the relatively modest increase won’t disturb the people,” he told reporters after visiting Scope International (M) Sdn Bhd at Technology Park Malaysia, here.
Scope International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Chartered Bank in the United Kingdom, has been recognised as the first Global Shared Services hub of an international bank in Malaysia.
On the United Kingdom’s move to process all visa applications in the region, including student visas, in Manila, Featherstone said the decision was not specifically directed at Malaysia but also 10 other countries in the region.
Starting November this year, the decision to grant or reject British visas for Malaysians will be made by the British visa centre in Manila.
“We have decided that it makes economic sense to process all the applications from Australia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries in the region, all in Manila,” he said. — Bernama