UK ID cards

wisteria53

In the news today about foreign nationals and ID cards: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7747303.stm>; Aside from the civil rights/privacy implications for UK citizens and residents, no one is mentioning that they want __£395__ from foreign nationals for these cards (£595 for the “premium” service). I can’t see anyone in Stroud Green who needs one of these being able to afford this, including myself. UK citizen starting price will apparently be £30. I’ll wait until they force me to get one, and even then might have to become British and pledge allegiance to your monarch to avoid being ripped off by the [UK Border Agency](http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/identitycardsforforeignnationals) in this way…

Pete

Is the premium service a promise not to shoot you for being a bit brown?

David

[No2ID](http://www.no2id.net/IDSchemes/FAQ/index.php) seem to be the key dissenting voice but with regards to civil rights rather than price. The absence of a cast-iron reason to have them just makes the whole thing feel sinister. And the Government are yet to prove they can keep a database secure. With opposition parties all seemingly against it too, the whole thing seems rather churlish. No2ID also have the best [Find Your Nearest](http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres) of any website

andy

True, but by this time next year £395 will only worth $9.50.

I have little sympathy for this, as I seem to be on the no-fly list of US terror-types. This means a delightful extra detour through the crappy bits of air terminals when I fly to the US. For which I get no apology, no explanation and no clue about how to avoid it in the future.

rainbow_carnage

I refuse to fly into Toronto airport. I've gone through their immigration rigmarole three times, despite never actually intending to immigrate to Canada. Apparently my passport has been flagged in their system, but they wouldn't tell me why.

The thing is, I don't even need a passport to go to Canada. Americans can drive in without one. In the past, they've just asked to see my drivers license. Though once I went across the border with a Jamaican guy, and we had to sit in a small room for an hour while they searched his car. They even tried to take the doors off. No apology or explanation was give.

Oh, and unaesthetic and I get searched for drugs way more often than the average person.

I wouldn't mind having an ID card. I don't have a UK drivers license, and it's a pain to have to take my passport with me to the bank, etc.

verga

@ RC - Maybe you get searched more because of your name and its 'hippy' connotations.