Immigration officers at Gatwick Airport are now wearing new uniforms to highlight that travellers are entering the UK, with the aim to strengthen security at entry points.
Officers will wear dark blue suits and light blue shirts, there will also be new signs put up to make it clear that people are at a UK border. Similar arrangements are also in place at Stansted Airport and will eventually be rolled out across the country.
Home Office minister Tony McNulty said the measures have been introduced to improve confidence in the immigration system.
Tony McNulty said: “Maintaining and strengthening the security of Britain’s borders is a top priority. We are determined to improve public confidence in how immigration is managed. Key to this is the creation of highly visible staff at our borders, to deter people who have no right to be here.”
The border checks will also feature advanced security technologies including iris recognition scanners that allow registered travellers to quickly enter the country, as well as equipment that can read passports and process checks against a UK watchlist of known criminals and immigration offenders.
Around 4,300 people were refused permission to enter the UK at Gatwick last year, said McNulty.
