MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK reveals design of Identity cards for foreign nationals

The 'ID card' unveiled today

The United Kingdom Border Agency revealed on Thursday the design of the first identity cards to be issued to foreign nationals in the UK.

The UK will begin issuing ID cards, part of the UK's national identity scheme, to foreign nationals in the UK from 25 November 2008. The introduction of ID cards will provide a convenient and secure means to protect identity by locking it to one person using their fingerprints. The new credit-card sized document will show 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. Within three years all foreign nationals applying for leave to enter or remain in the UK will be required to have a card, with around 90 per cent of foreign nationals in Britain covered by the scheme by 2014/15. Eventually every person from outside the EEA (European Economic Area) visiting the UK for more than six months will be issued with an identity card which will contain their photo, their fingerprints and length of stay in the UK. 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 and from 2011/12 cards will be available for the general population.