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U.K. Biometric Visa Pilot Program Begins Today in London

"Biometric technology is transforming the way we protect our borders ... New fingerprint visas are fast becoming our first line of defense against illegal immigration. By establishing people's identities beyond any doubt before they enter the U.K. we can stamp out multiple applications and identity fraud."

Passengers at the point of entry into the U.K., London's Gatwick airport, are having their fingerprints recorded in a new trial underway today.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne today visited Gatwick's North Terminal to see the BioDev project in action. The trial is part of complete overhaul of the U.K.'s border security systems which already sees U.K. visas collecting fingerprints from visa applicants across the world.

During the trial, which continues until April 2008, the fingerprints and photographs of passengers presenting biometric visas issued in Freetown, Sierra Leone will be checked again in the U.K. and anyone found attempting to enter the U.K. illegally will be refused entry.

The trial builds on the Border and Immigration Agency target to check biometrics from all non-EEA (European Economic Area) non-visa nationals at the U.K. arrivals control by 2011.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "New fingerprint visas are fast becoming our first line of defense against illegal immigration. By establishing people's identities beyond any doubt before they enter the U.K. we can stamp out multiple applications and identity fraud -- ensuring entry only to those who are welcome.

"Biometric technology is transforming the way we protect our borders. Through projects like the BioDev trial we are creating a triple ring of security: identifying individuals before they travel to the U.K. through a biometric visa, then checking it at the border, and finally, from 2008, rolling out ID cards for foreign nationals in the U.K."

Compulsory fingerprinting is now part of the U.K. visa application process in more than 100 countries worldwide. Fingerprints are checked against U.K. government records to see if the individual is already known to the Border and Immigration Agency. This has already seen over 8,000 sets of prints matched quickly and successfully to individuals of concern, proving the effectiveness of the biometric checks.