U.S. Begins Fingerprinting, Photographing Foreign Travelers

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today implemented a new set of entry procedures for most foreign visitors with visas, requiring inkless, digital fingerprinting and photographs of those travelers at 115 airports and 14 seaports.

The new program, dubbed US-Visit, requires foreign visitors to have their two index fingers scanned and a digital photograph taken to verify their identity at the port of entry. "US-Visit is actually a continuum of security measures that begins overseas, at the U.S. consular offices issuing visas, where biometrics will be collected to determine if the applicant is on a database of known or suspected criminals or terrorists," said Asa Hutchinson, DHS undersecretary of border and transportation security. "When the visitor gets to our border, we use the same biometrics--these digital fingerscans--to verify that the person at our port is the same person who received the visa or to see if we have learned new information about any involvement in terrorism or crime."

Citizens from more than two dozen countries, mostly in Europe, which participate in the Visa Waiver Program, are not required to carry a visa if their visit is less than 90 days. Travelers from the following countries are exempt from the new procedures: Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Citizens of Canada generally do not need a visa to enter the United States.

Visitors from exempt countries who are working in the United States, however, require a work visa, and therefore must leave their fingerprints and photographs with U.S. authorities.

"The US-Visit program will enhance the security of U.S. citizens and visitors by verifying the identity of visitors with visas," said Secretary Tom Ridge in making the announcement this morning at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. "At the same time, it facilitates legitimate travel and trade by leveraging technology and the evolving use of biometrics to expedite processing at our borders."

DHS has been testing the new entry procedures since Nov. 17 at Hartsfield Jackson. According to the agency, the test showed that the new procedures add an average of 15 seconds to the entry process at primary inspection for foreign nationals traveling with visas. More than 20,000 passengers from Central and South America, Europe, Asia and South Africa participated in the voluntary test.

DHS today also began a pilot test of exit procedures for departing passengers holding visas. A departure confirmation program using automated kiosks is being tested at Baltimore Washington International Airport and will require foreign visitors exiting the United States to confirm their departure at the kiosk.

Congress has mandated that an automated entry-exit program be implemented at the 50 busiest land ports of entry by Dec. 31, 2004, and at all land ports by Dec. 31, 2005.

In reaction to the U.S. policy, Brazil last week began fingerprinting and photographing American visitors arriving at Sao Paulo's airport. Brazil's Foreign Ministry also has requested that Brazilians be removed from the U.S. list.