28 March 2012
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UK: Vountary
iris scanning scheme for selected air travellers
Home Office Press Release
CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY TO MODERNISE UK BORDER CONTROL
Reference: 208/2004 - Date: 15 June 2004 10:16
Cutting edge technology is set to revolutionise the UK’s immigration controls, with the roll-out of a hi-tech iris recognition system to a number of key UK airports, Immigration Minister, Des Browne announced today.
The state-of-the-art system will store and verify the iris patterns of specially selected groups of travellers, giving watertight confirmation of their identity when they arrive in the UK. This will substantially increase security as well as speed their process through immigration control.
The Home Office will roll out the programme over the next year – starting with Heathrow Airport (Terminals Two and Four) and four other airports by summer 2005. It is expected that within five years more than a million people will be registered to use the system.
Mr Browne said:
"More than ninety million people pass through our immigration controls every year. In our era of mass global travel those numbers are set to rise, with increasing numbers of people wanting to visit the UK on holiday, to study and to work. We need to ensure that our controls are robust enough to let in only those with the right to be here, and efficient enough to process legitimate passengers quickly.
"The UK’s border controls are among the most secure in the world, and we are strategically deploying new technologies to further reinforce their integrity. We already use detection equipment along the northern European coastline, preventing would-be illegal immigrants before they set off for the UK. And we are developing biometric technology to further protect our borders – rolling out its use in visas, passports and eventually ID cards. Such advances were unheard of only a only few years ago - now we are exploiting their ability to make our immigration controls ever more secure."
The Home Office has signed a five year contract with Sagem SA to provide the iris recognition system. The Immigration Service will invite certain groups of foreign nationals to take part who have a track record of complying with the UK’s immigration laws – for example because they live permanently in the UK, are regular travellers or are here as work permit holders. All potential participants will be carefully vetted.
The scheme announced today builds on a successful trial at Heathrow Airport in 2002. A joint project by British Airports Authority, the Immigration Service, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways, the trial registered the iris patterns of 200 selected passengers. It demonstrated the potential of the technology to increase border security, as well as being popular with passengers.
Notes for Editors:
1. IRIS will be installed with the support of the airport
authorities at the five UK airports with the highest international
arrival numbers. Birmingham, Gatwick (both terminals), Heathrow
(all terminals), Manchester (Terminals 1 and 2) and Stansted.
2. The system is to be called IRIS (Iris Recognition Immigration
System), and is the first major output of the Government’s
‘e-Borders’ programme to engage technology to modernise
UK immigration controls. A marketing campaign will be launched
at the end of 2004 to target non-EEA nationals who have indefinite
leave to remain in the UK, are regular travellers or have long
term status in the UK such as students or work permit holders.
3. Enrolment for the scheme will be voluntary. Immigration
Officers will interview and enrol qualifying non-EEA nationals.
Those deemed acceptable to enrol will have both their eyes filmed
using a standard video camera in order to capture their iris
patterns. This data will be stored alongside their personal details,
and the enrolment process will take approximately five minutes.
4. Enrolled passengers will be able to enter the UK through
a special immigration control incorporating an iris recognition
camera.
5. An OJEC notice to supply the technology was issued on 6
June 2003. Three companies were shortlisted to submit best and
final offers, of which Sagem SA was selected as the preferred
supplier in line with published Government procurement practices.
The contract covers supply and maintenance and will run for five
years.
Published: 15 June 2004
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