Australian Immigration Introducing Biometrics

03 Dec 2010

Biometric checks include collection of data through an instant and non-intrusive way of capturing a digital image of the applicant’s face and a fingerprint scan of all applicants of Australian visas. And the Australian immigration department has revealed that biometric checks are introduced to curb fraud in Australia visas.

Under the biometrics program, collection of data is done through an instant and non-intrusive way by capturing a digital image of the applicant’s face and a fingerprint scan of 10 digits through a fingerprint scanner.

This $70 million biometrics program will be rolled out for all Australian visa applications submitted in Australia and in some selected locations abroad.

Chris Bowen, Australian immigration minister while speaking about the scheme said that biometrics is used as a handy tool for successfully managing immigration and visa processes and for bringing improvisations in identity management as well as to control incidents of fraud. This scheme is considered vital for integrity of immigration and visa programs to curb visas and identity fraud, ultimately leading to ensure border security.

Canada, US, UK and a few European nations are already pursuing the biometrics data scheme.

The biometric scheme is rolled out in Australian cities and at the application centers for the UK visas in Yemen, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

A digital facial image and a fingerprint scan will be required to be submitted by all paper-visa applicants in the above named nations irrespective of their nationality.

The biometrics scheme is likely to move to centers in Africa, Middle East, Europe and Asia by 2011.

The biometrics scheme will exclude online applicants but will be applicable to those submitting applications for Australian visas on paper for protection visas and visas overseas in Australia.