Tackling Abuse Of The Asylum System: Tighter Immigration Controls

052/2003 27 February 2003 020 7273 2488/4545
http://213.121.214.245/n_story.asp?item_id=385

Stricter controls on Home Office travel documents (Certificates of Identity) issued to people with Exceptional Leave to Remain (ELR) in the UK were announced today by Home Office Minister, Beverley Hughes.

From March, applicants will need to show they have an urgent need to travel and that they cannot obtain a passport from their own embassy.

Currently those granted permission to stay in the UK for exceptional reasons are routinely issued with a ‘certificate of identity’ document to enable them to travel. The Government believes that easy access to these travel documents acts as a pull factor. In addition, there is evidence that individuals use the ready issue of Home Office documents to avoid applying for their national passports and, most importantly, to travel back and forth to the country from which they claim to have fled persecution.

Ms Hughes said:

"It has become clear that many people with ELR are using their certificates of identity to travel back to the very country from which they claimed to have fled persecution. This is unacceptable, and it is why we are taking this action to significantly restrict the issue of Home Office travel documents to those with ELR.

"This will not stop people travelling for legitimate business reasons.

Nor will it penalise children who need travel documents to go on school trips, or those who need to travel for religious or serious humanitarian reasons. But it will stop people abusing the certificate of identity.

"We are implementing a radical reform of our asylum system, and will continue to take every opportunity to tackle abuse."

Notes to Editors:

1. The restrictions will come into force on 27 March 2003.

2. The Immigration Service recently conducted a survey of flights going to the Middle East. In the space of 2 weeks, they discovered 125 Iraqi-born holders of a CID travelling to Damascus. Damascus is 140 miles from the Iraqi border. Whilst there may be important business or family reasons for a person to return to a country bordering on one where he fears persecution there is also a substantial body of anecdotal evidence from Immigration Officers who have expressed concern about the number of cases in which the holder of a CID has returned home or, more usually, to a neighbouring country.

3. A CID is a document that looks like a passport and can be used in the same way.

4. A CID is issued on application when the Home Office has refused an application for asylum, but granted exceptional leave to remain (ELR).

5. The change is being made following consultation announced on 6 February 2003 (036/2003)

Source for this page: Home Office

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