The UK and Irish governments have signed an agreement to preserve the Common Travel Area and help crack down on illegal immigration.
The Common Travel Area is a passport-free zone that comprises Ireland, Great Britain, the Isle of Man and the Channel Irelands and can be crossed by Irish and British citizens with only minimal identity documents, a Home Office release said.
The agreement outlines work being taken on by both countries to prevent abuses of the Common Travel Area, while protecting its long-established benefits of trade and tourism.
The Immigration Minister, Mr Damian Green, said: “This agreement will help us quickly refuse those with poor immigration records, identify asylum shoppers and speed up the removal process in those cases where people have entered the Common Travel Area.”
He added: “The benefits the Common Travel Area brings to travellers and the economies of our countries are well-established but it should not be exploited by those with no right to be here.”
The meeting also included a commitment to the exchange of information, such as fingerprint biometrics and biographical details, particularly from ‘high risk’ countries, as part of the visa issuing process.