Help needed please!
Part of my induction process with new members of staff is to cover off verification and eligibility to work in the UK. I always ask that passports are provided which are then photocopied in colour, scanned and placed on their personnel file.
Someone recently mentioned in passing that you are no longer allowed to take photocopies of passports.
Having researched this the general consensus appears to be that I can take a copy however recently this been contradicted to say it's now illegal to make a colour copy. This information has come about whereby someone has taken delivery of a new photocopier and apparently this is written on it. Their suggestion that a colour representation would also stand for a scan of the document so probably best to scan to b&w.
So, I am confused, Could anyone shed any light on this please?
Thank you in advance.
Barbara
Replies
Thank you for your replies.
It looks like there appears to be conflicting information on the Right to Work website and the Gov.uk website.
In any event I will continue to take copies of passports so if for any reason we had to produce the information we can.
Kind regards,
Barbara
Hi
I'm HR Manager in an Independent School and as part of our safer recruitment checks in accordance with legislation we are positively required to take copies of passports as evidence that we have checked identity and right to work in the UK. When inspected we have to produce this evidence if requested.
Regards
Wendy
What an interesting question! I attended a C I PD branch event last month on asylum and immigration checks certainly the speaker made no reference to the fact that colour copies were not legal.
Also on the gov.uk website for immigration checks examples used on there are in colour and likewise it doesn't say anything about colour copies not being acceptable. Finally I think that a colour copy will provide a greater level of detail for the employer so I think this would be preferable.
So in summary I think colour copies are acceptable.
Hope this helps!
Sarah