Landing cards axed despite security fears
Landing cards for all international passengers are to be scrapped next week, despite union claims that it could hinder investigations into trafficking or illegal entry to Britain. Leaked documents reveal the Home Office has told Border Force staff that “there will no longer be a requirement for any passenger, of any nationality, to complete a landing card”. The Immigration Service Union, which represents border staff, said it was “deeply concerned” at the decision.
LANDING cards for international arrivals are to be scrapped on Monday despite claims it could deprive officers of valuable information on traffickers, illegal entrants and criminals.
Leaked documents reveal the Home Office has told Border Force staff that “there will no longer be a requirement for any passenger of any nationality to complete a landing card” in the UK.
The Home Office agreed to scrap cards for seven countries from June, as well as allowing access through e-gates at entry points. But it has decided to go further and abolish them for all nationalities. EU visitors are already exempt.
However, the Immigration Service Union (ISU), which represents thousands of border staff, said it was “deeply concerned” as officers used the cards to record suspicions or significant information about people entering the UK.
The ISU said it had been assured the move would not happen until a computer system was in place, yet this “had not happened” and no date had been set for it to become operational.
An ISU spokesman said the cards “record what is said to the officer on arrival”.
She added: “Without them we cannot arrest someone or remove them for deception of an immigration officer, as they have no record of what was said.”
The ISU said the Home Office was “ignoring” warnings from experienced staff despite the Windrush scandal that saw the department destroy thousands of landing cards. “We acknowledge it is a minority of cases, but it was not necessary to do this with just two working days’ notice,” said the spokesman. Noneuropeans have been required to fill out landing cards with basic information about themselves and their travel since 1971. Proposals to scrap them were announced in August 2017.
The paper-based system was described by the Home Office as outdated and costing the public £3.6million a year. Last night the Home Office said it did not comment on leaks but a source maintained the cards were primarily used to collect statistics and not for routine security checks. He said the Government would not have gone ahead without the support of the security agencies. “Passengers are checked against the variety of police, security and immigration databases which are used to verify the identity and confirm the status of every passenger arriving at UK airports,” he said.
The Border Force already collects Advanced Passenger Information from airlines before journeys to the UK start, including name, birth date, nationality and passport or identity card number.
It said earlier this year that passengers from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA would no longer need to complete landing cards.
Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, said at the time: “These changes will deliver an improved arrival experience and … boost our economy through tourism and business.”
‘Without them we cannot arrest someone or remove them for deception of an immigration officer’