Fingerprinting for all visitors to USA
All visitors to the USA will now have their index fingerprints scanned on arrival and be digitally photographed as part of the Department of Homeland Security's United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-Visit) programme, which was introduced to 'expedite legitimate travellers, while making it more difficult for those intending to do harm to enter'.
Previously, the 27 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) had been exempt from the requirements. However, the programme now includes all nationalities because a requirement for VWP countries to include biometric data, such as fingerprints, in passports by October was not met. Nationals from VWP countries can still enter the USA without a visa, but will be required to undergo the biometric checks.
US immigration officials stress the procedure is quick. 'We recognise that the visa waiver country travellers are among our best allies, friends and international guests,' Asa Hutchinson, Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security, told BBC News. 'We are doing all we can to make sure the security measures cause minimal inconvenience.'
Because of complaints about rude treatment of UK visitors, US border control staff are also being instructed to work by a polite code of conduct, it has been revealed. Robert Bonner, Commissioner for US Customs and Border Protection, told a meeting in London, 'While we must - and will - secure our borders against terrorists, we must treat all travellers professionally and courteously.' Handcuffing, detention and deportation of nationals committing minor visa violations would no longer occur, he added.
Those exempt from the new biometric ruling include diplomats, children under 14 years of age and those over 79. Since introducing the US-Visit programme to non-VWP countries in January, Brazil has retaliated by demanding US visitors to the country are also fingerprinted.