All foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who successfully apply for an extension to stay in the UK on the basis of marriage, civil partnership or as a student will be required to apply for an ID card from now on.

The standalone card will have a chip that holds a digitised photograph and fingerprint data, alongside biographical information.

ID cards will then be introduced in phases, beginning with a compulsory rollout to airside workers at two UK airports at the beginning of 2009, and a voluntary rollout to young people from 2010.

"The scheme will reassure us all that workers in positions of trust are who they say they are, help protect the country from illegal immigration, and make it harder for criminals to use false identities and thus help protect us all from crime and terrorism," said Home Office minister Meg Hillier.

The government hopes to be issuing high volumes of cards on a voluntary basis from 2011 onwards. But, with a general election due before that time, this is not certain. The Conservatives have promised to scrap the scheme should they come to power.

The details of foreign nationals will not yet be put onto the National Identity Register ­that will eventually hold personal and biometric information. That will not become operational until next year.

The provisions for requiring foreign nationals to hold ID cards were part of the UK Borders Act 2007. But separate legislation covers UK citizens.

The original provisions were included in the Identity Card Act (ICA) 2006. Last week the government began consultation on draft secondary legislation relating to the ICA which is expected to be put before parliament by May 2009.

This includes proposals on a civil penalty regime of fines ranging from £125 to £1,000 for those who fail to notify the state of changes to their details, or who refuse to surrender the card of someone else in their possession.