Starting in October, fingerprints will be required for Chinese travelers applying for a visa to the United Kingdom.

The applicants will need to scan their fingerprints when they submit applications in the 12 cities in China that have British consulates. Chinese travelers will not need to pay extra for this enhanced security service.

According to local media reports, the purpose of this new process is to avoid the growing problems of fraud and theft. The U.K. is reportedly the first country in the European Union that requires a biometric scan of this sort. However, this new process should not cause any further barriers for travelers to complete  and adopt the visa application.