The UK and Ireland have struck a deal wherein they will share information from visa applications including fingerprint data, according to a BBC News article.
The UK Border Agency expects the new partnership to not only enhance its ability in detecting illegal immigrants, but also result in cost savings. This will potentially lead to a partnership on electronic border systems that would better identify individuals with false asylum claims and other illegal immigrants before they arrive at the borders of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man in an area being called the common travel area (CTA).
Among the evidence for the need for such a partnership are the nearly 500 out of 1,516 rejected asylum claims in Ireland that were identified as being from people being referred to as “asylum shoppers,” or those that have previously submitted applications for visas or asylum in the UK or elsewhere.
UK Immigration Minister Damian Green and Irish Immigration Minister Alan Shatter are expected to meet in late December finalize the agreement.
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