UK introduces new passport checks at rail and sea exit points

LONDON: The UK would check passport of all passengers travelling by rail and sea at exit points from tomorrow to tackle illegal immigration amid fears of long queues.

The exit checks effective from tomorrow will particularly affect cross-Channel and Channel Tunnel travellers, with passengers arriving at the port of Dover having to have their passports scanned.

The new exit checks by the UK Home Office have come under attack for fears of long queues and delays.

However, in an attempt to minimise any possible disruption the exit checks are being introduced gradually.

UK security and immigration minister James Brokenshire said: "It is right that we have an immigration system that is fair, that tackles illegal immigration and that clamps down on those who try to cheat the system by staying here when they have no right to do so."

"Exit checks will provide us with vital information that confirms a person's exit from the UK," Brokenshire said.

The coalition government committed to reintroducing them in 2010 and the Immigration Act 2014 put in place legislation which gave carrier and port staff the powers to carry out these checks.

"Port and travel operators are experts in their business and know their customers best, which is why we've supported them to design and trial the systems for collecting data in a way that will minimise the impact on customers."

For the first month, all passports will be scanned but only 25 per cent of the passport holders will have their details verified to ensure they are genuine.

After a month, there will be a move to 50 per cent verification and by the middle of June a figure of 100 per cent verification will be introduced.

As well as at sea ports, the checks are also being introduced at airports but as airlines will be providing advance passenger information from an individual's travel documents, air passengers will not notice the new system in action.

There will be little or no noticeable effect on airline travel as a result of the latest changes as airline passengers already have to provide "advance passenger information" to travel.

The UK Border Force has been receiving this data for some time and uses it as a form of exit check.

The UK government had abandoned such exit check back in 1998, which has been re-introduced to curb illegal human traffic.

Since the old style checks were dropped, the Home Office has been unable to keep proper checks on who is leaving the country.

It has been impossible to check whether a foreign national who had been allowed to stay in this country for a limited time had overstayed their visa.

By counting everyone out of the country the Home Office hopes to be able to keep much better records of who is in the country illegally.