UK Border Agency Wants to Accelerate the Push Out of Identity Cards

www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk

The Home Secretary has now asked that the UK Border Agency look into its rollout plan for its identity cards for foreign nationals. The Home Secretary wants to see how this rollout plan can be accelerated if possible.

More than 50,000 identity cards have already been given out to foreign nationals who are legally working and living in the UK. The UK Border Agency has been able to use these cards to help bring down illegal working in the UK while being able to support legitimate workers and businesses that do play by the rules.

Right now, under the current plan, all foreign nationals from outside the European economic area will have these identity cards within three years. However, now the government has announced plans to speed up this identity card plan for British citizens. Besides just the residents in Manchester, who can apply for these cards by the end of the year, the locals in North West will be able to apply by 2010.

The government has also chosen to make the identity cards voluntary for airside workers. Under a 18 month evaluation scheme at Manchester Airport and the London City Airport, these airside workers will be encouraged to obtain identity cards for free. This would make it quicker and simpler for background checks to be carried out.

Getting these identity cards will help to improve the movement of reference checks between airports and employers. It will also help in creating greater flexibility for employers and their staff as well. It is still not clear just how soon all of these identity cards will be out.

For more information visit: www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk