TheBorder and Immigration Agency (BIA) was an executive agency of the BritishHome Office, created on 1 April 2007 and replaced on 1 April 2008. The agency replaced theImmigration and Nationality Directorate, assuming its responsibilities for managing immigration control in theUnited Kingdom. The BIA also considered applications for visas to enter the UK,permission to remain,citizenship,asylum and in-country enforcement of immigration law. The headquarters were located inCroydon.
The BIA was responsible for delivering the e-border programme, a modernised border control system proposed by the UK Government, and a new programme ofbiometrically controlledidentity documents forforeign nationals.
On 1 April 2008, the BIA merged withUKVisas and theport of entry functions ofHM Revenue and Customs to form theUK Border Agency. Then, in 2012 and 2013, the UK Border Agency was split into three new organisations:Border Force, responsible for front-line border control,UK Visas and Immigration, responsible for the UK visa system, andImmigration Enforcement, responsible for enforcing immigration law.