Plans for biometric visas will move ahead towards the end of the summer once proposals are signed off by ministers and approved by Parliament.

Under the government’s five-year immigration and asylum strategy, all visa applications will include the capture of digital photograph and fingerprint information, from 2008.

UK Visas, a joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) agency, is inviting expressions of interest from potential suppliers of biometric recording and verification equipment by May. The deal is expected to be worth £5m-£10m, but the full procurement will only start once the scheme receives formal parliamentary approval.

Roll out of biometric technology to all 120 global visa offices starting with smaller sites, follows successful trials at 11 posts.

‘We will start with smaller places as part of the learning curve so when we get to the big, busy posts it will all be running smoothly,’ said a spokeswoman.

UK Visas says the IT is the easy part. ‘Biometrics will be a major change management and process re-engineering exercise,’ says the agency’s 2005 report.

The e-visa scheme aims to prevent fraud. Data from visa applicants will be cross-checked with UK records.

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