International arrivals could be forced to wear electronic tags for 10 days to make sure they strict to strict quarantine rules, under plans drawn up for Priti Patel.
Home Office officials explored the controversial plans in a nine-page draft “borders enforcement’ policy paper last week.
Singapore introduced a similar policy last summer to make sure arrivals stayed in their accommodation rather than a state-appointed facility.
Ministers are meeting on Friday to discuss tightening up border restrictions amid fears that new Covid strains from Brazil and South Africa could lead to more infections.
They are also understood to be looking at putting travellers into hotel accommodation, as they do in Australia and New Zealand, to curb case numbers.
The draft paper, leaked to the Guardian, recommended a short-term travel ban until the tougher measures could be brought in.
But despite including tagging arrivals in the policy paper, officials did not end up recommending the move, according to the Guardian.
Instead officials warned of the civil liberties implications of such a move, the need for new legislation and the strain on the already under-pressure tagging system.
Another option under consideration was a location-tracking app to monitor the movement of arrivals, who would be made to download it.
The Government last week suspended travel corridors and passengers now require a negative Covid test before flying into the UK.
But it has faced criticism for failing to bring in tougher controls last Spring when they virus first arrived in the UK, with Boris Johnson overruling Ms Patel on her plans.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We do not comment on leaks”.
