National ID cards are no longer valid for Europeans entering the UK

Most Europeans will require a valid passport to enter the UK from today as the government stops the arrival of travelers with national ID cards.

From 1 October, following the change announced a year ago, most EU and Swiss nationals will not be allowed to enter the UK with a national ID and will instead be subject to the same entry requirements as travelers from the rest of the countries. United States of America.

The change does not apply to those who are part of an EU separation scheme in the UK or who have equivalent rights and who can continue to enter the UK with ID cards until at least 2025.

The Interior Ministry said identity cards were among the documents seen most often by border guards and that nearly half of all fraudulent documents discovered at the border last year were EU, EEA or Swiss identity cards.

By not accepting national identity cards as a valid travel document, the government said it could prevent organized crime gangs and illegal immigrants from using them to enter the UK illegally.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Britain has a proud history of opening up to the world and Global Britain will continue that tradition.

But we have to deal with criminals who want to enter our country illegally with false documents.

“By ending the use of insecure ID cards, we are strengthening our borders and prioritizing people to take back control of our immigration system.

“We are doing this as part of our new immigration plan, which will be firm for those who want to abuse the system and fair to those who stick to the rules.”