UK extends free 1-year visa for doctors, nurses |
The UK Home Office on 11th April said that the free one-year visa extensions will be automatically granted to eligible overseas health care workers and their dependents whose visas were due to expire before October 1st. Indian doctors and nurses are among 14,000 applicants from across the world that are set to benefit from a one-year fee waiver for visa extensions announced on 8th April for frontline workers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. This will cover healthcare professionals working in the National Health Service (NHS) and the independent health and care sector, which includes a large number of Indian professionals. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said "The dedication and skill of overseas health and care workers who are leading the UK`s fight against coronavirus is truly extraordinary,". She also said "Thousands of them have helped save countless lives throughout this pandemic and are now playing a vital part in the hugely successful vaccination rollout. Our offer of free visa extensions shows how our country values the contributions of these heroes.” The Home Office said that those benefiting from this extension will need to complete a simple online form to verify their identity coupled with the conformity by their employers. Periodic free visa extensions for health workers have been announced since last year at the peak of the pandemic and the Home Office said it has extended the visas of more than 10,000 people across the UK. The latest extension is intended for doctors, nurses, paramedics, midwives, occupational therapists, psychologists, and others to be able to continue their crucial work in the fight against coronavirus as their visas will be extended for a year, free of all fees and charges, including the Immigration Health Surcharge. In 2020, the Home Office also expanded the Bereavement Scheme to all NHS, health, and social care workers to support the family of frontline healthcare workers who die during frontline duties.
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