Bio-metric visa system introduced for UK visa applicants

British Embassy officials have placed a new requirement for all the visa applicants looking to visit the UK. They need to get themselves photographed and fingerprinted, which is a measure that has been introduced to cut down on frauds.

Hence, beginning September, all UK visa applicants in the UAE are required to visit the Visa Application Center (VAC) in Dubai or Abu Dhabi instead of otherwise visiting the British Embassies.

On visiting the VAC, the applicants will be photographed and thereafter, their electronic fingerprints will be taken by machine, and the data obtained will be enclosed within the biometric visa. All adults, and children above five years of age, will be fingerprinted and photographed.

This scheme has already been introduced by the British Government in more than sixty countries. Though, this procedure caused a fall in visa application in certain countries, the UK Visas Deputy Director of Visa Services for Iran and Gulf States, Jackie Colton mentioned that as the VACs would have longer working hours, and is likely to accept applications eight hours a day and for six days a week, application for a visa would now become easier.

Though the exact location for the VACs is yet to be finalized, according to Colton, it would be based on shopping malls or business centers.

Colton mentioned that this new regulation enabled the officials to identify individuals who change their identity with an intention to enter UK fraudulently.

Posted on 22/5/2007

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