Visa application fingerprint checks introduced

New fingerprint checks for visa applications have been rolled out on a global basis three months ahead of schedule, the government has announced.

The development was announced by immigration minister Liam Byrne amid new government milestones which will involve the introduction of the mandatory checking of fingerprints before any visa is issued globally within 15 days.

Fingerprinting is intended to be used as an effort to counteract fraudulent visa applications and around 500 cases of identity swapping are said to have been spotted during the compiling of UK databases.

Employers who do not make the correct right-to-work checks in the UK will also face on-the-spot fines within the next 60 days, according to the government's targets.

"My goal therefore in 2008 is as ambitious as it is urgent … Every month the public will be able to see us not talking about change but delivering on our ten point plan for change," Mr Byrne said.

People can apply for a visa by post, courier, in person by contacting their nearest British mission overseas outlet and online, according to the UKvisas website.