Despite assurances that ordinary tourists will not be affected by the UK's new visa restrictions for Russian officials, queuers outside
the British visa department told
The Moscow News that they are worried that it will become more difficult to access UK visas.
Alex (Student visa): "I am a little bit worried about the situation.
I think it will get better."
Irina (student visa):
"I am worried that no-one will be able to get a visa as easily as before, students especially. Of course I hope that it will only be government visas that have problems.
"I hear there are to be new rules for visas, with fingerprints. I am worried that it will make the process of queuing and dealing with the paperwork more difficult.
"I think the situation will get worse between governments, but I don't think that this will affect the relationship between people of the two countries."
Julia (group visa): "I only care about the visa, I don't really care about the governments. I hope it doesn't get more difficult for normal people, frankly I don't see what else they can do to make it more difficult."
Svetlana (tourist visa)
"I am a little worried. I think that this is a provocative act. I don't know what will happen now, because this is all about people and people are difficult to predict, but I hope that things will improve soon."
The British Embassy sought to reassure tourists with the following statement:
"It is certainly not our aim to complicate the lives, and travel plans, of ordinary Russians. We welcome them to the UK - and are issuing ever-increasing numbers of visas. The changes to visa processes announced on Monday concern only applications from the Russian government. All other applications - tourist, transit, business, student - will be processed as before."
"The measures on visa process changes which were announced on Monday apply only to visa applications submitted by the Russian Government. Other visa applications - students, tourists, transit - will be considered, as before, on the basis of the evidence submitted. This was done in order not to affect the interests of ordinary visitors from Russia. We are seeing a massive increase in applications for British visas, and we welcome genuine travelers to the UK."
