Britain scraps ID card program for UK citizens, foreigners will still need biometric document

Published November 17, 2014

LONDON (AP) — Britain says it will scrap a national identity card program for U.K. citizens within 100 days — but most foreign nationals will still require one of the credit-card sized documents.

Both members of the country's new coalition government had pledged to ditch the unpopular 5.1-billion-pound ($7.3 billion) plan, which Britain's previous administration said would help combat terrorism and identity fraud.

Home Secretary Theresa May says the system is intrusive and unnecessary. She says 15,000 cards already issued to British citizens will be invalidated.

But her ministry confirmed all foreign nationals from outside the European Union who apply for residency in Britain will continue to require a similar card carrying details of biographical and biometric data.

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