Want a Visa? Please Jump Through the Following Hoops

Why does anyone in Africa actually want to go to the UK?

First of all, it has to be said that Kenyans aren’t necessarily heading for that overpopulated island either for the weather or the food (how many genetically modified fruits can you eat before you say ENOUGH!), its mostly for education or business purposes.

Last time we checked, we’re fuelling their economy by paying heaps of school and accommodation fees for courses that last three or four years.

Making the decision to study in the UK is difficult enough without the serious immigration barriers. But it’s not only student visas that are as easy to attain as a diamond in Kawangware - tourist and business visas are also equally as hard if not harder.

Why do they make it hard to get into their country? Are they afraid of another Mau Mau uprising? That we’ll steal their jobs and their hard earned benefits?

You’d think that being part of the commonwealth would give us at least an upper hand. Or are you not meant to treat your previous colonies well? Would it really be that bad if a Kenyan moved to the UK? Are we that bad? We surely don’t think so.

Aside from the obvious, valid passports, passport pictures, TB test (which you have to get EVERY TIME you need a new visa. It’s as if Kenyans with Visas who come back home can’t get TB) there are mountains of documents that go into applying for a visa. Students have to sit for hours in front of a computer waiting for that all-important CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance) statement. Without it, there’s nowhere you’re going.

The UK government has to know you’re not making up a school. Fair enough. The UK wants to know that your employer is not a drug dealer. Fair enough.

However, about two/three years ago they also started this rule where you have to have a ridiculous amount of money in your account for 28 days before your visa appointment. They check your bank statements for this. If you don’t, they automatically think you can’t possibly afford to travel there and back and therefore are obviously trying to flee your poverty stricken life. Even if you’re a student this rule still applies. How about the students who get full scholarships but can’t afford having a large sum of money in their account for 28 days? Are they automatically shunned away?

Possibly the most aggravating thing about this whole issue, are the Visa fees. Paying it is acceptable; of course you have to pay for an application. But if by some chance you don’t get the visa you can’t get refunded and each time you try to appeal for one you have to keep paying. If you won’t let us into your country, at least give us our money back so we can go somewhere else. Maybe if the Kenyan economy didn’t need English tourism to run we’d also put such insane impediments to travel (which btw we do do for our South African brothers and sisters).

Moral of the story, make sure your summer internship is very lenient with allowing you time off for this stuff because you got to have TIME to pull it off.

With that, UP magazine wishes everyone who is applying for a UK visa this autumn/winter the best of luck.