As you may know, ID cards for non-EU nationals have now been in operation since November 2008 for students and spouses of persons present and settled in the UK.
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has just announced that it plans to extend the scheme as of 6 January 2010 to applicants applying in-country under Tier 2 of the Points Based System. From that date onwards they will need to provide their fingerprints and a digital photograph at one of the designated biometric enrolment centres across the UK.
It is as yet unclear as to how this will impact on the ability of legal representatives to submit applications on behalf of clients using the premium same-day service. The UKBA will not be able to make a decision on a case without the applicant having their biometric information taken personally in advance.
It has also been announced that some Post Offices will be used to capture biometric data as well as the existing UKBA biometric enrolment centres. The designated Post Offices currently approved for this purpose are Beckenham (Kent), Cambridge, Durham, Kingstanding (Birmingham), Middleton (Greater Manchester) , London Old Street and South Shields (Tyneside). Providing your biometrics at designated Post Offices will, we understand, only be available to applicants making postal applications.
To be able to use the Post Office biometrics centre you will need to live within a certain postcode and have received a letter from the UKBA inviting you to attend. No appointment will be necessary for biometric enrolment at a Post Office.
We will update you further on the details of the plans as soon as they become available.
Fingerprint checks at the border
As from 30 November 2009 the UKBA will be checking the fingerprints of all those entering the country with biometric UK visas, entry clearances and foreign national ID cards.
The checks are intended to ensure that the person who initially submitted their biometric data is the same one that is entering the country.
For more information on Biometric ID cards for Tier 2 applicants please contact
Marian Dixon or
Peter Dixon in the business immigration team.
This article was first published in Business Immigration eBulletin December 2009
