Sunday Express Comment - Easy Visa

We can control immigration and continue to boost Britain’s economy

David Cordingley – Leader
United Kingdom Popular Democrats (UKpopdems)

Everyone knows we have totally lost control of immigration in this country. In the places where the massing millions are waiting to get on the move, everyone also knows Britain’s immigration policy is out of control and consists solely of a wide open door. Who knows how many are coming in, and from where? No-one. Britain’s health and social services are unravelling under the weight of hundreds of thousands of foreign migrants with no means of support. And do you know what? This ‘unfit for purpose’ government is sitting frozen in the headlights of oncoming traffic waiting for us to be flattened.

While Britain’s social infrastructure is being destroyed, many corporate bosses and financial pundits, ‘those people who should know’, tell us we cannot do without immigrants and economic migrants because business in Britain would come to a stop. Not only that, but Britain’s public sector would cease to function. Yes, the very organisations suffering the greatest threat from migrants are the organisations that need them the most. Is there a point we’re missing in there somewhere? Nevertheless, on the available evidence, we need to accept this strange irony and welcome legitimately working migrants to our shores.

Unfortunately, not all of Britain’s immigrants are legitimate, above board and contributing honestly to their host country in work and taxes. No. Many, some would say most, are hidden in the soft under-belly of our teeming cities. Or equally out of sight behind the high hedges and forgotten by-ways of our otherwise pleasant landscape. Despite some failings, Britain is still a civilised country where the rules of law govern, and those who live openly by the rules can expect the protection to which they are entitled. But, for those who lie concealed there is no-one looking out for their well-being. How many are abused? How many living as slaves? How many in danger of physical and mental harm? How many children at risk? When abuse is brought into the light the ordinary, decent people of Britain are shamed and angered.

You know, it needn’t be like this. It can all be fixed simply. It can all start to be fixed in a month. We can control immigration and continue to boost Britain’s economy. It won’t cost billions of tax payers’ money, either, or need fancy untested technology. What is this miracle? No miracle, just a common sense solution Britain can implement with existing manpower. I’m calling it ‘EASYVISA’. Not what you’re thinking, although I bet Stelios would get it up and running in less than a month. EASYVISA; easy, because it’s simple, easy to get and update; and visa, because it applies a measure of control to every foreign visitor and resident.

So let’s summarise. Britain needs to welcome working migrants in order to strengthen and grow our economy, but we want overall immigration controlled and illegal immigration reduced. EASYVISA will do this job. EASYVISA is a card system, yes a card system, but coupled with simple scanning technology your son or daughter could knock up in minutes. Even the Home Office, who seem incapable of delivering anything satisfactorily, could implement EASYVISA in less than a year – surely. All that’s needed is one card design, instructions for completion and a load of cheap scanners from the office shop. Hmmm, maybe we should get Stelios in after all.

The first task is to control legitimate entry to the United Kingdom through ports and airports so we know who is coming in and why. And we need to make it easier to refuse entry if conditions aren’t met. EASYVISA will do this well and initial responsibility for control would be with existing agencies. All foreign nationals would complete EASYVISA (if the government want to exclude certain EU nationalities from this process, that’s up to them) by circling the reason for entry; Tourist; Student; Employed; Contract; Self-Employed; Looking for Work. Additionally for Tourist, Student and Contract, the planned date of exit. Everyone enters their initial accommodation address and contact telephone and for Student, Employed and Contract, their school or employer contact details. That’s it. The passport and EASYVISA is scanned and EASYVISA stapled into the passport.

What this does is provide a first measure of control that forces people coming to these shores to think twice knowing Britain has real checks in-place. It also provides a very neat platform to over-lay other conditions. For example: proof of health insurance and proof of funds to avoid over-burdening health and social services. And there’s the possibility that contact details could be checked. Any permitted agent in the UK can then reference this physical record with the original scanned record to detect unregistered changes or fraud. What could be simpler? This won’t catch false UK passport holders, but it will provide enough physical control to enable a range of actions if conditions are broken.

And here is a key beauty of EASYVISA; it can be changed and even post-initiated. Illegals hide because they are outside the system. Why criminalise unnecessarily when migrants can be legitimised through EASYVISA by appearing in person at any post office or other selected agent. A new or initial EASYVISA is completed and proofs offered where required. All is scanned and EASYVISA stapled to the passport. You have to admit that’s easy, allows control to continue and frees up what resources Britain has to catch those much more blatantly abusing the generosity of these islands.