Changes to the UK visa system for Bahrain-based applicants looking for a long-stay visa will come into effect from the end of this month.

Starting May 31, all non-European Economic Area nationals travelling to the UK for more than six months will have to obtain a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The BRPs will include the applicant's name, date and place of birth, fingerprints, photo, immigration status, conditions of stay and right of access to public services and benefits, if any.

Applicants will be required to collect their permit from a pre-selected post office within 10 days of their arrival in the UK.

This permit can then be used as proof of right to work, study and access public services in the UK - it must also be presented, alongside a valid passport, when entering or leaving the country.

Anyone applying to go on holiday or a short business or study trip to the UK using a visit visa will not be affected by this change. - TradeArabia News Service