UK biometric Visa system completed

Applicants fingerprinted by immigration officials

Nearly 500 people have been caught lying about their identity to immigration officials since the British Government began checking the fingerprints of visa applicants.

Early this month the Government announced the biometric system it has been gradually introducing around the world since September 2006, had been completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

Now people from 133 countries who apply for a UK visas must be fingerprinted.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "We now check everybody's fingerprint wherever they apply for a visa around the world. The public wants stronger borders. They want us to shut down the causes of illegal immigration and hold newcomers to account, deporting rule breakers where necessary."

It has already captured biometric information from more than one million people and identified over 10,000 visa applicants who have previously been fingerprinted in the UK in connection with immigration cases or asylum applications.

Some nationals will not have to give their biometric data. This includes Australians who do not need a visa to travel to Britain as tourists and people from the US and European Union who are on short visits to the UK.

The scheme is part of the remit of the newly-created Border and Immigration Agency, an executive agency of the Home Office, which is responsible for controlling the borders and managing immigration in the UK.

It is also introducing an Australian-style points system intended to select encourage skilled immigrants and the creation of a police-like border force.