The A to Z of ID cards

F is for Foreign nationals

Foreign nationals coming to the UK were the first group to receive ID cards, with the first cards issued in November 2008.

By the end of April 2009 50,000 foreign nationals are due to have been issued with ID cards under a £319m scheme being run separately to the project for UK citizens.

Foreign students and people on a marriage visa must have a card and the government is proposing that a further four categories of foreign nationals are made to enrol for the cards.

The card is pink and blue with the royal crest on the front and will hold eight pieces of information including two fingerprints and a scan of a facial photo that will be stored on the chip.

It is printed with details of a person's name, date and place of birth, sex, nationality, a card expiry date, place and date of issue, type of permit and remarks.