Deon Green, Freelance WriterLONDON:
JAMAICANS MAY soon have their eyes scanned and other facial details documented, along with fingerprints, if they intend to enter the United Kingdom.
The measure would follow the introduction of visa restrictions imposed in January and charges for immigration services used by foreign nationals, including Jamai-cans, in the UK.
Several British newspapers including The London Times reported on Thursday that nationals from Jamaica and Zimbabwe could likely be faced with fingerprints, iris-scans and other facial forms of recognition based on a pilot scheme which has been in operation in Sri Lanka for two months.
Jamaica and Zimbabwe were being viewed as potential candidates for the new scheme against the background of visa restrictions imposed on those countries because an abuse of immigration and asylum regulations.
MICROCHIP
Under the scheme, the data would be placed in a microchip on visas for visitors from countries which have large immigration offenders.
The London Times quoted Home Secretary, David Blunkett, as saying that the plans to require more people for visas supply biometric record of their fingerprints or iris could be a more secure way of confirming a person's identity, especially if he or she has destroyed travel documents.
The Home Office did not say when the pilot scheme, which has been in operation for three months, would be extended, to which countries it would apply and the cost for making the needed equipment available at its overseas embassies.
On August 1, charges were imposed on some foreign nationals, including Jamaicans, living in the United Kingdom for utilising immigration services. The new charges mean that persons applying for permission to extend their stay will pay charges for processing their applications. This charge is to save the British taxpayers some £90 million per year.
Under that measure individuals who arrive on visitors visas, if they intend t
o extend their stay they will have to pay 155 for postal application, with a premium 'same day' service for personal callers costing 250. The charges will also be applicable for settlement, and permanent residency being put into new passports. The measure will also apply to nationals applying for indefinite leave to remain on the grounds of domestic violence, which provides evidence that they are destitute as well as applications for asylum, and discretionary Leave on Humanitarian Protection grounds. Currently there is no charge on leave to remain applications, for holders of work permits and applicants in the Seasonal Agricultural Work Scheme or the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.
