BORDER CONTROLS BOOSTED BY NEW TECHNOLOGY AND A UNIFIED STRUCTURE

The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced that immigration, customs and visa checks will be united and performed by the new UK Border Agency. The new agency is held out to be “tougher, smarter and more flexible”. By merging the work of Customs, the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) and UK Visas, the UK Border Agency is hoping to strengthen the UK’s security through tougher border control.

The announcement goes hand-in-hand with the introduction of fingerscans as a requirement when applying for a UK visa. Fingerscans taken as part of the visa application process will be checked against UK Government records to identify if an individual is already known to the UK immigration authorities. Anyone who requires any visa for the UK and is aged over 5 will need to go through the fingerprinting process.
The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:

“A unified border force means a stronger British border.  All travellers to Britain will be screened against no fly lists and intercept target lists and, together with biometric visas, this will help keep trouble away from our shores. As well as the tougher double check at the border, ID cards for foreign nationals will soon give us a triple check in country. Together this adds up to some of the most advanced security anywhere on the globe. These are the most sweeping changes to our border security for decades.”