8:30am Monday 13th July 2009
GETTING working visas this season has become a long drawn out affair and in sport that can be a slight problem.
When cricket clubs want to bring in an overseas player it used to take a matter of days to get all the official paperwork done.
However, this year it can take take up to two months.
When counties apply to the England and Wales Cricket Board for the signing of an overseas player that still only takes 24 hours and the next stage at the UK Border Agency takes another 48 hours.
But after that it becomes a lot more complicated.
Once all the paperwork is done in this country, the visa is then sent to the player in their homeland and they have to visit their embassy.
When there, the player’s biometrics — eye and finger — prints are taken before going through a criminal background check and some countries English tests are also undertaken.
But all these processes are not just for sportsmen and women, these are across the board for employment in the UK.
Worcestershire are all too aware on these lengthy processes as they look to find a replacement for Australian all-rounder Ashley Noffke as he returns home in August.
The County are thought to be in the process of applying for a working visa for a player to replace Noffke, with Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra thought to be that man.
When the Australian all-rounder returns home, Worcestershire will still have six County Championship matches remaining and they are acting now to try and ensure that they are not going to be without an overseas player.
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