To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing visa applications for spouses to be processed without biometrics where visa centres remain closed due to the covid-19 outbreak.

All visa applicants are required to attend a visa application centre (VAC) to provide documents and enrol their biometrics, this is a minimum mandated security requirement for all visa national travellers to the UK. Biometrics play a significant role in delivering security and facilitation in the border and immigration system. They enable quick and robust identity assurance and suitability checks on foreign nationals subject to immigration control.

As restrictions continue to be lifted by governments around the world, overseas VACs are reopening, enabling applicants to apply for the required visa to travel to the UK.  As centres reopen, details of these will be published on our commercial partner websites.

As of 7th July, 133 visa application centres have reopened.