Written Question·Home Office·UIN 66709
Undocumented Migrants: Biometrics
Tabled: 10 July 2025
Answered: 17 July 2025
Question
Mr Andrew Snowden
Conservative — Fylde
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 58584 on Undocumented Migrants: Biometrics, for how long is biometric data retained when it is collected from individuals who have entered the UK unl
Answer
Dame Angela EagleIn most cases the Home Office usually retains biometrics (facial image and fingerprints) taken from foreign nationals, including people who have entered the UK unlawfully, for a period of up to 15 years, but may do so for longer in certain circumstances.