Britons in Bahrain have been reassured by the UK Embassy about new immigration rules that will mean they will no longer be able to obtain visas on arrival.

It said the proposed changes to obtain Bahraini visas are still at an early stage. "The Ministry of Interior have informed us that any possible changes to obtain Bahraini visas are still at an early stage and are being studied by immigration,' it said.

'Whilst there is the intention to bring in the requirement for visas to be obtained prior to arrival, the existing arrangements remain in place until further notice. As soon as we hear anything specific about the date of implementation, we will let you know. We understand it is fairly straightforward to obtain an e-visa before arrival,' said the Embassy in a notice on the UK in Bahrain Facebook page after residents expressed concerns about the new directives.

The changes are being implemented in a bid to prevent violations and ensure equal treatment with countries that enforce strict entry rules on Bahrainis, according to Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.

Visitors from the UK and 26 other European Union countries, as well as the US Canada, Australia and Japan will be among those affected.

Expatriates of several nationalities earlier hit out at the new rules, which were announced on Monday, saying they would harm tourism at a time when Bahrain needs it the most. – TradeArabia News Service