Taipei, June 7 (CNA) The collection of biometric data -- finger scans and digital photographs -- will be required for all U.K. visa applicants in Taiwan from July 26, the British Trade and Cultural Office (BTCO) in Taipei announced in a press conference Thursday.
The introduction of the new visa application process is to help combat visa fraud, the abuse of the U.K.'s immigration and asylum system and a part of anti-terrorism measures, BTCO Director Michael Reilly said.
The new process means two changes in the way BTCO deals with visa applications. All applicants will have to lodge their applications at new visa application centers in Taipei and Kaohsiung and applications will not be accepted at the BTCO in Taipei after July 20, said Reilly.
Second, all visa applicants, regardless of nationality, will need to apply in person to have their fingerscans and digital photographs taken. The whole procedure should take no more than five minutes, he said.
"Biometric visa data provides a higher standard for security and will in time make entry clearance into the U.K. simpler and easier. We have introduced the new process in 64 countries and are confident it will work smoothly here in Taiwan, " Reilly said.
Applicants will be able to track their application status online and will have shorter waiting times and more payment options, he said.
Current valid U.K. visa holders will not be asked to provide biometric data when they enter the U.K., Reilly added.
Taiwan and the Philippines are among the first Asian countries to implement the new application process, he said, adding that by the end of the year, the process will be rolled out to other Asian countries such as Japan, China and South Korea.
All member states of the European Union are expected to implement biometric visas in the spring of 2008, he noted.
The U.K. issued about 36,000 visas to Taiwanese visitors in 2006, including 9,653 Taiwanese student visas, Reilly said. The U.K. accounts for around 30 percent of the Taiwanese overseas study market.