The UK Home Office is preparing to test smartphone technology that could let immigration applicants submit fingerprints and facial scans without visiting a physical site.
The department first explored remote biometric enrolment in 2022, running feasibility tests on both mobile applications and automated kiosks. While kiosks were initially seen as the readier option and rolled out to border and immigration facilities after a three-month pilot, officials are now turning their attention to the mobile route.
A market engagement session is scheduled for 19 August, where the Home Office will meet with tech suppliers capable of delivering apps that capture fingerprints and securely verify identity.
“These trials will focus on capture of fingerprints and identity binding via smartphone application(s),” the department said in a notice. Interested companies have been invited to register, with the reminder that all attendees will be visible to other participants.
If successful, the trials could signal a major shift in the way biometric data is collected for UK immigration, replacing in-person visits with a fully digital process.
