US to collect even more traveller fingerprints
Monday, 29 December 2008

More travellers entering into the United States will have to give their biometric data to customs officers as the government widens the net of those non-US citizens to even include those with green-cards.

In a statement the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week announced an expansion of categories to fall under the US-VISIT program.

Those now included in the scans which matches digital fingerprints to an image and personal data are, “Lawful permanent residents of the United States (LPRs); Persons entering the United States who seek admission on immigrant visas; [and] persons entering the United States who seek admission as refugees and asylees.”

Some Canadian citizens will now also need to be fingerprinted, as will those who have been paroled into the United States.

“US-VISIT biometric collection requirements apply to most non-U.S. citizens, with limited exemptions, entering the United States regardless of country of origin or whether they are traveling on a visa or by air, sea or land,” said the US Department of Commerce in a statement.

“Non-U.S. citizens under the age of 14 and over the age of 79 are exempt from US-VISIT procedures, as are certain other individuals admitted under specific categories.”

Currently the US-VISIT is operational for entry at 115 airports, 15 seaports, and 154 land border ports.

A full report on the Final Rule can be found here

Source: Etravel Black Borads Asia