GRANTING VISAS
SIR.—Mr. Anthony Windrum's letter on the granting of visas to foreign visitors (Spectator, September 19) refers to damage which may he done to overseas trade by the impediments put in the way of would-be travellers to Britain. I should like, however, to refer to two other kinds of traveller who, to my personal knowledge, are finding it almost more difficult to enter our country than to enter the Soviet Union. The first kind are simple, bOna fide tourists from Spain; this summer I have had to listen to tales of bureaucratic cavillings, delays and frustrations from five individual Spanish friends, all of whom were anxious (and some, mirabile dicta, still anxious) to pay a short visit to England. The determination of one of them was so great that he ;actually went to Paris in the hope that the Consular officials in that city would prove to be more tractable than those whom he had approached in Spain. Sad to relate, he finally broke down under the barrage of 'sixty-four dollar questions' such as To whom may we refer in • England, and before the visa is granted, as being responsible for you during your stay there?' etc. etc., and returned, disconsolate, to Spain.
This situation cannot be explained on grounds of 'reciprocity.' Visas for tourists who wish to visit Spain are granted at most consulates in Britain with the greatest courtesy (and after filling in a document which is, by bureaucratic standards, relatively short and simple) within a few days; one was granted to myself in Liverpool within twenty-four hours.
The second kind is that person who is going tci take up domestic service in ,Britain. Already armed with the written guarantee of the person wlio pro- poses to employ her, the Spanish girl is subjected to a form of verbal inquisition which her ancestors might well have considered; even" for religious put- poses, to he somewhat excessive. • Where the Grey Eminence of the trade unions can be imagined as having an effect on the decision to grant a Ministry' of Labour permit, i.e. for a job within the direct 'purview of the unions, we can easily see the reason. When it is a matter of domestic service, however, it would seem that the word of the prospective employer as guarantor could be deemed sufficient.
spend quite a lot of time in. Spain and. as every traveller knows, it is very helpful to have some kind of idea, be it never so vague, not so much of the Government's general attitude to ' the country concerned (who would make so hold as to try and explain that?), but at least an idea of the reason be- hind the regulations restricting the aspirations of
those who arc sufficiently interested Britain (and can save up sufficient money) to go and 'see for them-
selVeS.'- -1' Ours faithful] y, wilN c inra IN Place de trance 8, Tangier, Morocco
Previous page
