Brown halves time tourists can stay in Britain in visa crackdown fight-back bid

The Home Office also wants family members who "sponsor" visits to Britain by relatives from outside the EU to pay a £1,000 bond which would be forfeited if the visitor does not leave.

Critics accused the Government of deflecting attention from the row over £4,000 "bribes" to persuade failed asylum seekers to leave.

The proposals, which were to be announced tomorrow, were leaked over the weekend.

Tory immigration spokesman Damian Green said: "Yet again this is tough talk rather than effective action. If someone plans to overstay a visitor's visa, why would they be less likely to after three months rather than six?

"This has all the hallmarks of a headline-grabbing initiative. Until the Government agrees to an explicit annual limit of the type we have called for they will not be able to control immigration properly."

The plans are being billed as an attempt by Gordon Brown to use immigration as part of a New Year initiative to outflank the Opposition.

The Prime Minister's strategists believe that if the Tories were to oppose the plan for new restrictions on foreign visitors, they could lose the support of traditional voters.

Home Office immigration figures show 12.9million people came into Britain temporarily last year, up by more than 2.5million over ten years.

Two of the main methods to gain entry are by using tourist visas, which are needed by anyone from outside the EU, and passes for family visits.

Critics have argued that tourist visas should not allow visitors to stay for more than three months. They say a person is more likely to seek work or start relationships tempting them to stay on illegally if they are here longer.

But the Home Office does not have the resources to find and deport those who overstay.

Resources are targeted at foreign criminals, not holidaymakers who do not go home.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne's proposal to impose a £1,000 bond on family visits from outside the EU has angered immigrant groups.

Visas are currently given to people who want to visit a relative in Britain.

Introducing a £1,000 bond would place a financial burden on their relatives to ensure the visitor returns home at the end of their stay.

Critics say it is likely to hit the law-abiding - who may have to find large amounts of money to sponsor a family reunion - while providing little deterrent to those who flout the rules.

The £1,000 bond is significantly cheaper than the cost of smuggling a person into the UK, which can be as much as £20,000.