10 January 2010

From 6 January 2010 all those extending their stay under the Tier 2 visa including dependents will need to apply for an identity card.

In November 2008 the UK Border Agency started issuing compulsory identity cards for a number of non European Union nationals applying to extend their stay in the UK. The categories of people who require identity cards continues to increase.

If you are required to apply for an identity card you must provide your biometrics (fingerprints and facial image) before applying to stay in the UK. If your application is successful you will be given an identity card.

The UK identity card provides the following information:

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Nationality

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Identity – Name, date of birth, etc.

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Immigration status in the UK – This gives information on your right to work or study in the UK and, if relevant, your right to access public services.

The UK Border Agency also proposes from the end of 2010 that highly skilled immigrants and temporary workers should be required to apply for an identity card when they apply to extend their stay under Tier 1 or Tier 5 of the UK points-based system. By April 2011 all immigrants applying to extend their UK visa for more than six months will be required to apply for an identity card.

Those who have indefinite leave to remain, those applying for indefinite leave to remain and those in certain other immigration categories are unaffected by the changes.