New passport checks delayed to avoid Easter queues
Border Force has delayed the introduction of stricter passport checks at British borders to avoid causing longer queues at Eurotunnel and ferry ports over the busy Easter weekend.
The checks, which will now be introduced in early April, are designed to catch illegal immigrants as they leave the UK.
Director general of the Border Force Sir Charles Montgomery told the Commons’ Home Affairs Select Committee they were due to be launched next month.
However, he said the start date had been pushed back by a week until April 8 after operators warned they would cause long delays for holidaymakers setting off on their Easter holidays.
Eurotunnel and ferry port operators were particularly concerned as the checks will require them to record information on all travellers, which means boarding coaches and taking down the details of everyone on board.
The details will be passed to the Home Office to enable it to identify immigration offenders. Sir Charles told MPs immigration officers have detained 6,000 illegal immigrants in Britain from April to December last year.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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