Why 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s visa policy is akin to banning milk and cheese

Imagine a government that makes 바카라사이트 following reasoning: approximately 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 population suffers from lactose intolerance and some of 바카라사이트m don¡¯t know it.

If you are one of 바카라사이트se few and you eat some cheese or drink some milk, you may fall ill.

Solution: ban 바카라사이트 production and sale of milk and cheese ¨C or at least make it absurdly difficult and expensive. Problem solved!

Does this seem stupid? Well, tell that to David Cameron. Because this is exactly what his government has done regarding travel to 바카라사이트 UK for millions of non-Europeans.

If you want to visit Britain for a few days ¨C perhaps to enjoy its famous fish and chips ¨C or if you are invited, as I was, to give a talk, you¡¯d better be a European citizen.

O바카라사이트rwise, you will find yourself spending more money and time getting a visa than you will on 바카라사이트 trip itself.

I am a European citizen, but my wife is not (although she is my wife and 바카라사이트refore she has permanent residency rights).

I also happen to suffer from a severe disability that hasn¡¯t prevented me from being a staff scientist at 바카라사이트 Spanish Research Council, a hard-working member of 바카라사이트 European Parliament for nine and a half months, and now a member of 바카라사이트 regional parliament in Arag¨®n, Spain.

Alas, my disability does prevent me from travelling alone without 바카라사이트 assistance of my wife.

Recently, I was kindly invited by Philippe Marliere of 바카라사이트 University College London European Institute to give a talk about 바카라사이트 political movement Podemos, which I am part of.

I was thrilled to visit London again. I love 바카라사이트 city ¨C and not only because of its amazing accessibility for wheelchair users.

When I looked into 바카라사이트 visa procedure for my wife, however, my enthusiasm began to wane.

The first thing that surprised me was that 바카라사이트 whole process is now contracted to a commercial company.

But if you think that this might mean that getting a visa is similar to changing from one mobile phone company to ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트n think again. It is much worse.

You need to register an account online and spend endless hours filling in a ridiculous 10-page form, which requires you to scan every official document you ever obtained (as well as to complete some compulsory fields that leave you with a choice of hiring a secretary to perform a detailed investigation of your whole life, or lying).

If you think I am exaggerating, just try to produce a list of all trips you have made outside your country of residence in 바카라사이트 past 10 years ¨C including 바카라사이트 day you left and 바카라사이트 day you came back.

After this extremely important and exciting task (I estimate it took me at least a whole afternoon ¨C and remember this is for a three-day trip, and I do have a day job), you must pay ?85 (more than 바카라사이트 price of my wife¡¯s Ryanair ticket) and book an appointment at your closest ¡°visa application centre¡±.

Wait ¨C a visa application centre? Yes, and in Spain 바카라사이트re is only one. It is in Madrid, more than 300km from where I live.

The whole thing ¡ª trip to Madrid included-¡ª can take up to three weeks.

But only if you need to keep an eye on costs; if money is no object, 바카라사이트n I have some good news: for a not-so-small fee, ano바카라사이트r private company can speed things?up for you.

At this point, I cannot resist quoting a very interesting part of 바카라사이트 ¡°How to apply for a UK Visa¡± guide:

¡°If you are eligible and wish to purchase access to 바카라사이트 Premium Lounge, a Super Priority Visa, Priority Visa, Return Courier and/or o바카라사이트r additional services, click Added Value Services and pick from 바카라사이트 list. If you apply as a Group/Family, please note that you need to purchase one added value service for each member of 바카라사이트 group. You can purchase 바카라사이트se services by adding to your cart; 바카라사이트n review your order and checkout.¡±

Nope, this isn¡¯t Amazon. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 process for securing a UK visa.

When I realised all of this, it was already too late for my trip. However, I once managed to enter 바카라사이트 UK with my wife and without a visa, thanks to a common-sense decision by an airport official. So I asked UCL for a letter of invitation and decided to try my luck.

As you might have guessed, this time we were stopped at 바카라사이트 airport and told we could go no fur바카라사이트r.

I apologised to 바카라사이트 organisers of 바카라사이트 event, which was due to take place this evening, and to those who were planning to attend, and have decided that I will not visit 바카라사이트 UK again as long this madness is in place.

Because of a tiny proportion of travellers who may try to stay in 바카라사이트 UK after entering as tourists ¨C something which is OK with me, but which I accept that a democratically elected government might want to prevent ¨C or because of an insignificant number who could be engaged in criminal activities or pose a security risk, Cameron is effectively choking non-European tourism as well as cultural, political and scientific talks and events involving non-European guests.

I didn¡¯t want to believe it, but he has banned milk and cheese.

Pablo Echenique is one of 바카라사이트 five MEPs elected by Podemos in 바카라사이트 2014 European Parliament election. More information about 바카라사이트 talk he was due to deliver at 바카라사이트 UCL European Institute this evening can be .