London:
A post-Brexit rule banning the use of identification cards from the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) to enter Britain comes into force from Friday, the UK government mentioned.
Under plans announced by the government a year ago, most EU, EEA and Swiss citizens will need to have a valid passport to enter the UK as border officials cease accepting national identity cards as a travel document on October 1.
The UK mentioned the modifications following its definitive departure from the EU earlier this year had been necesary to avoid the use of the more easliy forged documents, combat crime and cease illegal migrants.
In a statement late on Thursday, Home Secretary Priti Patel mentioned Britain necessary to “clamp down on the criminals that seek to enter our country illegally using forged documents”.
“By ending the use of insecure ID cards we are strengthening our border and delivering on the people’s priority to take back control of our immigration system,” she added.
The modifications come as Britian grapples with a shortage of thousands of HGV drivers that has led to a profound fuel crisis and shortages on supermarket shelves.
Haulage market figures have warned the modifications to IDs danger developing additional obstacles to drivers amid the shortages currently blamed by government critics on Brexit as properly as the coronavirus.
The ban on the IDs component of a package of modifications to provide on the ruling Conservative Party’s 2019 election guarantee to take handle of Britain’s borders.
The propsed laws, which have proved controversial with human rights campaigners, include things like powers to arrest illegal immigrants and transfer asylum-seekers overseas whilst their applications are processed.
The government has mentioned EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who previously resided in the UK and have been granted the proper to remain in Britain will nevertheless be in a position to use their national identity cards at borders till 2025.
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