To ask Her Majesty's Government whether students in north India, Bangladesh and Nepal who have already made applications for Tier 4 student visas to study at private colleges under the currently suspended previous rules will be asked to resubmit their applications; and, if not, how many applications are pending decision under the old rules. [HL2252]

The suspension of Tier 4 student visa applications in north India, Bangladesh and Nepal on 1 February means that no new Tier 4 applications are being accepted from that date. Applications submitted before 1 February are being processed as normal against the rules in force at the time of their application.

The suspension was lifted in north India on 1 March for Tier 4 students intending to undertake higher education courses (foundation degree, undergraduate, postgraduate).

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been made under the previous rules in the last eight quarters to United Kingdom visa application centres in Pakistan and south India for Tier 4 student visas to study at private colleges. [HL2253]

Tier 4 was introduced in April 2009. It is therefore not possible to answer the question.

However, the total number of student visa applications lodged at our visa application centres in south India and Pakistan in each quarter in 2008 and 2009 are shown in the tables below:

DHC = Deputy High Commission

The data are based on Management Information. They are provisional and subject to change.