United Kingdom Using Fingerprint Information In Visa Process

While biometrics continue the march toward mainstream acceptance, the United Kingdom is using fingerprint information from visa applicants to protect the country’s borders.

The information, along with a digital photo, is being collected by the government from foreigners applying for visas to enter the country. More than 100,000 sets of fingerprints per month are now being collected from applicants in 100 countries across the globe. The information collection is mandatory if the applicant wants to visit the country for work, education or tourism.

When fingerprints are taken, the information is checked against government records to see if the person is known to the country’s Border and Immigration Agency. So far, more than 8,000 sets of prints have been matched to individuals of concern.

“Biometric checks are essential to protect our borders,” said UK Immigration Minister Liam Byrne. “They allow us to screen each visa applicant before they are given the right to enter the United Kingdom, meaning tighter border controls and increased security. But it's not just abroad that these fingerprint records are used. Once these individuals are in the UK, Immigration Services use the same database for enforcement activity, such as illegal working operations.”

After starting in 2006, the government plans to roll out the biometric function to every foreign national applying for a British visa by April 2008.

And the program has already paid dividends to protecting the country, which has taken a priority after the London bus bombings in July 2006 and foiled car bombing attacks this summer.

Numerous applications have been denied thanks to the fingerprints. For example, a biometric check helped to identify a Pakistani passport holder who has previously traveled to the United Kingdom using a false identity and Afghanistan nationality. Because of the fingerprint check, the application was refused, and the person was not allowed to travel to the country.

About the Author

Brent Dirks is senior editor for Security Today and Campus Security Today magazines.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.