More UK visa biometrics collection centres open in post offices
December 23 2009 by Liam Clifford
Biometrics for UK visas will be introduced to post-offices to make it easier for applicants to submit their details.
The UK immigration department has opened new biometrics
collection centres in order to facilitate the roll-out of its identity cards for
foreign nationals programme.
There are now 17 post offices at which
foreigners living in the UK can register their biometric information to access
an ID card. The new collection centres have been opened to increase the number
of options available to immigrants who need to register their fingerprints and
photographs for UK visas with the UK Border Agency.
There are 11 biometric enrolment
centres across the UK in addition to the 17 post offices now offering the
service, giving immigrants many convenient options for enrolling their details
with the authorities.
The post office biometric services are currently
only available to those who have received invitation to use the service.
However, the service is run on a walk-in basis with no requirement for an
appointment.
Those who use the UK visa service at post offices will need to pay an
additional fee of £8 to the Post Office.
The opening of the new centres
comes in time for new rules on biometrics brought in for skilled workers who
want to extend their UK work visa under tier 2 of the points based system. From
6 January this group will need to register their biometrics in order to get a
decision on their application.
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