Sajid Javid apologised to migrants who were forced to provide DNA samples to support their family visa applications. Gurkha soldiers’ relatives were among those who were required to provide samples to support visa applications for their stay in the UK.
Javid, in the June session of House of Commons had said that the provision of DNA evidence had been made a requirement and was “not simply a request” in a number of family visa applications.
But today Javid said that he had set up a new task force for anyone who feels that they have been wrongly required to go through the process of providing DNA evidence for an immigration application.
“Today I want to take this opportunity to apologise to those who have been affected by this process,” Javid said.
Addressing the House of Commons, the home secretary said that such demands for DNA evidence were "unacceptable" and said that "The law in this context is that the provision of DNA evidence should always be voluntary and never mandatory."
More than 130 people were forced to provide DNA samples, with more than 50 of those the children of Gurkhas who served in the UK military.
