Changes to the Immigration Rules mean that with effect from 13 November 2005, all non EEA member states nationals who wish to travel to the UK for more than six months will need to obtain an entry clearance visa from a British diplomatic mission before travelling.

The new entry clearance arrangements were introduced in phases over a two-year period. The first phase came into effect on 13 November 2003 and involved ten countries. (Australia, Canada, Hong Kong (but not BN(O)s), Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea and United States.)

British Nationals (Overseas) and other categories of British nationals without the right of abode in the UK will continue to be able to travel without entry clearance and apply on arrival.

A one-off cost of £85.00 will enable the traveler, once entry clearance has been obtained, to stay for the full period without having to apply for a residence permit (unless they wish to change or extend their stay).

List of countries affected in the 2nd phase:

Nationality
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Cayman Islands
Chile
Costa Rica
Dominica
E Timor
El Salvador
Faroe Islands
Greenland
Grenada
Guatemala
Honduras
Israel
Kiribati
Lesotho
Macau
Malawi
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Monaco
Namibia
Nauru
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Samoa
San Marino
Seychelles
Solomon Islands
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent & Grenadines
Swaziland
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela

The recent controversy surrounding the Danish Immigration Services, with more reports emerging of employees accepting bribes in order to push through residence permit applications, is not without consequence.

Some 73 cases of bribery and discriminatory treatment of applicants have been found by the public auditors and 2 employees of the Service have been arrested so far.

Several parties have suggested that the business division of the Immigration Services to be moved to the umbrella of the Employment Ministry.

The Minister of the Interior appointed an advisory committee to examine Israel's immigration laws.

The committee's task is "to propose an immigration policy for the State of Israel, to examine the relevant legislation including the Law of Return, the Citizenship Law and the Israel Entry Law, and to look into the procedures used by the Population Administration," which implements immigration policy.

The advisory committee is expected to recommend legal methods by which Israel can tighten its immigration laws, since three members of the advisory committee have already served on a National Security Council (NSC) panel that suggested principles under which immigration restrictions could be made more strict.

The panel, which presented its findings to the government about two months ago, sought to maintain a distinct Jewish majority to preserve Israel's status as a Jewish and democratic state.

Ref: www.haaretz.com/