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25 September 2008
The identity cards will be carried by foreign nationals living in the UK.
Building on the government’s commitment to begin issuing ID cards to foreign nationals by November 2008, the card’s design was revealed for the first time.
The new credit-card-sized document shows the holder’s photograph, name, date of birth, nationality and immigration status. A secure electronic chip will also hold their biometric details, including fingerprints, and a digital facial image.
Video of the announcement
Watch the Home Secretary announce the cards on the Home Office YouTube channel. (new window)
Home Secretary's statement
Jacqui Smith said, 'Today shows we are delivering on our commitment to introduce the National Identity Scheme in order that we can enjoy its benefits as quickly as possible.
'ID cards will help protect against identity fraud, illegal working, reduce the use of multiple identities in organised crime and terrorism, crack down on those trying to abuse positions of trust and make it easier for people to prove they are who they say they are.
'ID cards for foreign nationals will replace old-fashioned paper documents, make it easier for employers and sponsors to check entitlement to work and study, and for the UK Border Agency to verify someone’s identity. This will provide identity protection to the many here legally who contribute to the prosperity of the UK, while helping prevent abuse.'
Compulsory identity cards
Compulsory identity cards for foreign nationals will kick-start the national identity scheme, with the first applicants having to apply for cards from 25 November.
Within three years all foreign nationals applying for leave to enter or remain in the UK will be required to have a card. Around 90% of foreign nationals in Britain will be covered by the scheme by 2015.
To ensure the benefits of the programme are felt from the start, the UK Border Agency will start with categories that have been targeted by those wanting to abuse our immigration system, including students and people seeking leave to remain on the basis of marriage.
The introduction of the first card supports the government’s tough new Australian-style Points Based System for managed migration. To earn and retain their licence as a sponsor businesses and education providers must keep records of the migrants they have sponsored including, in time, a copy of a migrant’s identity card.
Businesses found employing illegal workers face fines of up to £10,000 per person.
ID cards for British citizens next
The introduction of cards for foreign nationals will be followed by the first ID cards for British citizens, targeting workers in sensitive roles and locations like airports from 2009.
Then, from 2010, ID cards will be available to young people who want them. From 2011, cards will be available to the general population.
The introduction of ID cards will provide a convenient and secure means to protect identity by locking it to one person using their fingerprints.
Statements supporting the new ID cards
Director of external relations of the recruitment and employment confederation (REC) statement Tom Hadley said, 'Recruitment professionals in the front-line of the UK labour market play an increasingly pivotal role in checking the identity, background and status of individual job seekers.
'Within this context measures to simplify the checking requirements can be welcomed and must be backed with an extensive communication programme. Recruiters take their responsibilities to verify an individual’s right to work in the UK extremely seriously and support initiatives to enhance safe and ethical recruitment.'
Association of colleges’ director of funding and development statement Julian Gravatt said, 'Issuing ID cards to overseas students should assist in the reduction of identity fraud.
'Colleges welcome any measure which facilitates the recruitment of genuine students to study in the UK and the economic benefits this brings.'
Director of Communications for NCP Services statement Tim Cowen said, 'This is good news for employers, and a credit to the work the UKBA has done to help make the hiring of migrant workers more streamlined for UK organisations.
'Employers will, quite rightly, still need to make sure their systems for spotting forgeries are robust, but the biometric cards will cut down on fraud and make it easier for us to do this.
'Crucially, it will also help those who genuinely have the right to work in the UK get employment quickly – since it will be easier to check their identity and get them working.'
Notes to editors
The ID cards build on other work already done to ensure the integrity of our borders:
- 2.8 million visa applicants have been fingerprinted
- 3,500 cases of identity swap in the UK have been identified and dealt with
- 12.5 million biometric e-passports have been issued in the past two years
The National Identity Scheme Delivery Plan was published in March 2008
The UK Border Agency published Introducing Compulsory Identity Cards for Foreign Nationals (new window) in March.
Images of the new ID card and guidance relating to its features are available from the Home Office Newsdesk on 020 7035 3535.
The National Identity Scheme - background
What?
The National Identity Scheme (NIS) will deliver a universal and simple proof of identity for all those who are legally entitled to live and work in the UK.
The NIS will allow us to securely and conveniently protect our identity by locking it to ourselves using our fingerprints – ensuring no-one else can use it.
Why?
We all need to be able to prove who we are quickly, easily, and securely - when travelling, when opening a bank account or getting a new mobile phone, or applying for a new job.
A single, secure identity will:
- protect the country from illegal immigration and help reduce illegal unemployment;
- prevent and protect us from the growing problem of identity fraud;
- help tackle crime and terrorism by reducing the use of multiple identities;
- reassure us all that workers in positions of trust are who they say they are; and
- simply make life easier in the modern world.
When?
We are introducing the National Identity Scheme in a way that will deliver most benefit to all us as quickly as possible. We are using a twin track approach which prioritises both increasing public protection in sensitive areas and making life easier for people who will gain most in their daily lives from having or using an identity card.
From November 2008 we shall start to issue the first identity cards in the form of biometric immigration documents to foreign (non European Economic Area) nationals.
From 2009 we shall start to issue cards to British and foreign nationals (including European Economic Area citizens) working in sensitive roles or locations, starting with airport workers.
From 2010 we will issue identity cards on a voluntary basis, targeting them at young people to assist them in proving their identity as they start out their independent life in society.
From 2011/12 we shall start to enrol British citizens at high volumes offering a choice of receiving a separate identity card, passport or both.
Identity Cards by numbers
- 59 per cent – of those questioned support the introduction of identity cards;
- £4.74 billion - the cost of delivering the scheme over 10 years;
- 2008 – from November 2008 cards will be introduced for foreign nationals;
- 24 out of 27 EU countries – already have identity card schemes;
- £30 – the cost of identity cards issued in 2009/2010;
- 90 per cent - of foreign nationals will have cards by 2014/15;
- eight – pieces of information will be contained on the card; and
- £1bn saved from the total cost of the scheme – by engaging closely with the private sector to develop more cost-effective enrolment processes.
