IMMIGRATION specialist, www.Globalvisas.com, is voicing serious concerns in the wake of the recent government data loss fiascos, as a private offshore company, VFS Global, is being proposed to collect biometric data on visitors to the UK.

Globalvisas.com believes the employment of VFS Global to obtain biometric data – for example, on overseas employees of British companies and people with resident UK family who require fixed term visas – is a worrying development in UK immigration. As part of its drive to implement ID cards, the government is starting to collect biometric data from people who want to enter the UK.

Liam Clifford says: “The government’s track record for keeping personal data safe has been less than exemplary of late. The idea of giving a private overseas company biometric data is causing many UK companies, family members and ordinary people great concern.”

He adds: “We believe it could be inviting loss, theft or human error to occur. Within one building in Delhi, VFS Global provides visa services for the UK, USA, Australia and several other countries – and we question the security procedures in place to protect those visitors to the building.”

Liam Clifford believes UK employers are unhappy about the situation and that other countries will benefit from the fall-out. He says: “UK employers have little faith that their employees’ data will remain safe indefinitely, and are now also expected to pay higher prices for a visa to cover the costs. This is likely to discourage business projects intended for the UK, which would help it to remain an international business hub.

Meanwhile, Canada, Australia, the USA, Europe and other competitive nations continually look for ways to encourage top skills into their countries, to benefit their economies.”

He continues: “Damien Green, the Shadow Minister for Immigration, has called for a stop to the government’s plans to introduce ID cards. We hope this happens before it’s too late and the UK is left with its reputation as a business destination in tatters because of personal privacy invasion.”

The latest revelations by Globalvisas.com come on the back of Liam Clifford visiting VFS Global’s Delhi operations centre in person and being “appalled” by what he saw. They also follow Globalvisas.com being the first company to announce, in August 07, the Government’s plan to grant 150,000 asylum seekers amnesty in the UK. At the time, Globalvisas.com was contacted by the UK Immigration press office and told to drop the story as it was “untrue”.

Liam Clifford says: “It was difficult to show the amnesty was in full flow as the government was positioning it as the ‘clearing of a backlog’.

Based on the recent revelations regarding the granting of these cases, I would say Globalvisas.com has been proved correct in its assessment of the situation.”