Roman AbramovichGETTY IMAGES
Russian oligarch and Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich has reportedly not had his U.K. visa application "rejected but it is still being considered," according to George Parker of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Abramovich’s investor visa is thought to have expired in early April and his application for renewal is "undergoing extra procedural checks because he is applying from Russia," not from the U.K. Downing Street declined to comment on Abramovich’s case, but U.K. PM Theresa May’s spokesperson said that "extra checks were being carried out on people applying for investor visas." The spokesperson added that there had been an 84% fall in the number of investor visa applications after reforms were introduced in '14-15, when extra checks were introduced to make sure funds “had not been obtained unlawfully.” The spokesperson said, "Further checks are being made on investors who came to the U.K. through this route before the reforms were introduced" (FT, 5/21). In London, Ellson & Elliott reported sources at the club insisted that Abramovich, 51, had "not been denied a visa and there had merely been a delay to the renewal of his paperwork." However, the failure of the authorities to process the application of "such a high-profile ally" of Russian President Vladimir Putin will be seen by Moscow as "another snub" after Britain’s expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter. British MPs are demanding the government "get tough" on "dirty Russian money." In a report published on Sunday, the foreign affairs select committee said that the use of London as a base for the "corrupt assets" of Putin's "cronies" was part of a Russian strategy to "undermine national security" (LONDON TIMES, 5/21).
'UNFRIENDLY' CLIMATE: In London, Seddon, Parker & Ahmed reported Russia accused the U.K. of treating its oligarchs "dishonestly" after it emerged that Abramovich is "stuck in limbo" over his visa. Putin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russian business execs face "various manifestations of unfair and unfriendly treatment." One senior British official involved in the case said that ministers were "mystified" as to why Abramovich appeared to have left the U.K. just as his visa was about to expire. The official said, "It means he is subject to more checks and it puts us in control." Two people close to Abramovich and a person who helps Russian oligarchs with visa applications said that the oligarch "would be subject to new, tougher due diligence rules." Other wealthy Russians with ties to the U.K. include "Kremlin-friendly" tycoon Alisher Usmanov, sanctioned metals baron Oleg Deripaska, and fertilizer magnate Andrei Guryev, who owns the largest house in London after Buckingham Palace. People close to Deripaska and Guryev said that the men had "no recent problems" entering the U.K. An exec from Usmanov’s holding company declined to comment (FT, 5/21).
