At the request of Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov, Bulgaria’s Ambassador in London, Konstantin Dimitrov, held a meeting on January 30 2013 with the Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency, Rob Whiteman, about problems in issuing documents to Bulgarian and Romanian citizens to access the UK labour market. Within two weeks, the relevant authorities in the UK will respond to proposals made by Bulgaria to improve the current system.

The proposals relate to the requirements for students in the UK regarding applications and requirements for proof of private health insurance, as well as facilitation of the issuing of work permits to graduate students at British universities. To assist in resolving this difficult situation, two reception weekends will be held, at which about 200 people will be able to submit applications on the spot (in the city of Sheffield), before the implementation of changes to increase the rate of processing at the centre in Croydon in April 2013. To facilitate access to information about frequently asked questions from citizens and firms, it is essential to update the web page of the Border Agency.