Uncertainty over ID cards for UK immigrants from non-EU nations

United Kingdom, 2nd June: Despite the decision of the new UK government to scrap the controversial and costly ID card scheme of the earlier Labor government, there is uncertainty over whether already issued ID cards for non-EU immigrants will be in place or not.

The UK government is working on the issue and is expected to announce the results about the new UK immigration strategy and the final decision about the ID card scheme, an official of the UK Home Office stated.

Home Secretary Theresa May announced on 27th May, 2010 about its decision to introduce a bill for scrapping of the £4.5bn national ID cards (identity cards) scheme. May said that the ID card scheme will be gone in the coming 100 days.

It may be noteworthy that by doing so, the UK government will help in saving around $1 billion over the period of next ten years. The ID cards in the UK include photographs, biometric information and fingerprints of the individual ID card holder.

However, May denied that the motive behind scrapping of the ID cards was to cut costs and save money. 
Britain’s new government has reiterated its decision to abolish ID cards but is still unclear about the policy’s effect on immigrants in the UK.

The controversy stirring ID card scheme was rolled out in the year 2008 in Manchester and London for UK student visa holders from non-EU nations. As a result of this scheme, several applicants for UK student visas complained about long delays in the issuance of their UK visas following mandatory requirement to get a National ID card in the UK. 

Hence, all immigrants hailing from different nations and married to UK citizens were asked to get National ID cards in the UK. It was in the beginning of the year 2010 that the ID card requirement was extended for all immigrant workers hailing from non-EU nations. Meanwhile, the ID cards were not obligatory for UK citizens.

The fact that the UK visa applicants were required to shell out £31 from their own pockets for getting biometric National ID cards allegedly was among the reasons for the scheme becoming quite unpopular.