New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

To facilitate legitimate travel and ensure increased border security, a new US entry-exit procedure will come into force on January 5 next year for foreign visitors arriving at certain US ports of entry, who will be among the first to participate in a new entry-exit system that incorporates biometric identifiers like fingerprints and a photo.

The new process, part of the US-VISIT programme, is a critical part of the US efforts to facilitate legitimate travel while increasing border security, an American Center release said.

In conjunction with the US-VISIT, by fall 2004 applicants for US visas at Embassies and Consulates-General around the world will also provide biometric information at the time of visa interview.

The process, the release said, is designed to be both accurate and non-intrusive and will take only a few seconds and the information collected will be stored in secure databases.

It said that while travellers holding U S visas arrive in the US, as part of the routine entry screening, their fingerprints will be captured in an inkless process and a digital photograph will be taken. The information collected will be checked against a database and used to determine that the traveller does not pose a threat to the US.

"When visitors depart the US, the process will be repeated creating a complete travel record," the release said adding that the US-VISIT and the use of biometric identifiers in the visa application process are designed to enhance security of US citrizens and visitors.

Source: Sify news at www.sify.com

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

US to fingerprint all visitors
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All visitors to the United States will be photographed and have a fingerprint scan from early in the new year.

The move comes as security across the US has been stepped up in response to intelligence suggesting a terrorist attack could be planned over the holiday period.

Asa Hutchinson, the Undersecretary for Homeland Security, says scans of index fingers will be taken at the point of entry.

"It will immediately flash into the system and will be biometrically compared to the finger scan that we receive when the visa was granted at the embassy," he said.

"They will also be checked against a database and then if there's not any connection that's inappropriate they'll be welcome into the United States."

-- BBC

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

Brazil screening American visitors in response to U.S. program

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Federal Police in Brazil on Friday ordered immigration authorities to begin fingerprinting and photographing American tourists as they arrive at airports, cruise ship terminals and land borders in this continent-sized nation.

The decision was in response to a similar move by the United States. On Jan. 5, a U.S. rule takes effect across 115 U.S. airports that will require most visiting tourists, including those from Brazil, to have their photographs and fingerprints logged digitally as they clear immigration procedures.....

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/7621675.htm

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

Cool, as well they should!
Hey, if I ever go to Brazil and get kidnapped, now the authorities down there will at least have my photo and fingerprints and who knows, that might help them find me! I hope all nations start doing this, as it seems like a smart thing to do.

I don’t even mind the fact that they will be using the old fashioned ink technique for fingerprinting. And of course, U.S. tourist and travel industries also oppose the U.S. doing this for the same reasons voiced by the Brazilian counterparts in the article.

I personally don’t have anything to hide or fear by being fingerprinted and photographed. And I can certainly see it from their point of view, getting a little information on visitors who might be coming to Brazil to engage in some illegal activity, drug and human trafficking or bio-piracy. I say if they catch a fellow American doing something illegal, prosecute them (and if photographing and fingerprinting at entry helps, that is a good thing).

I for one applaud Brazil’s decision.

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

Nice to see countries basing their immigration policies on their OWN needs and requirements, and not as a knee jerk childish reaction to another country exercising it's right to create it's own laws and procedures (sarcasm intended).

10 bucks says they've had no time to create that system, and those fingerprints are done on paper and just put in some file cabinet and probably never get used in anything. Like they can find one fingerprint manually out of 10,000 sheets of paper. Uh huh.

-= nav =-

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

supernav wrote:
    >
[...]
    > probably never get used in anything. Like they can find one fingerprint
    > manually out of 10,000 sheets of paper. Uh huh.

Weren't all fingerprint searches done this way before computers? If the
card created on entry contains the person's name it should be fairly
easy to find, even without a computer

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

Yeah, and the only time it worked was when they had an idea of who
they were looking for!

On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 18:11:25 GMT, L D Jones <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >supernav wrote:
    >>
    >[...]
    >> probably never get used in anything. Like they can find one fingerprint
    >> manually out of 10,000 sheets of paper. Uh huh.
    >Weren't all fingerprint searches done this way before computers? If the
    >card created on entry contains the person's name it should be fairly
    >easy to find, even without a computer

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

I do too:)

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

well i'm off to the airport to fly back to lax. I'll tell you what i see, and what these machines look like as i walk past them, etc. I'm kinda curious myself.

-= nav =-

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

I think Brazil will be only one of the first. Most countries will eventually adopt the policy of tracking peoples' movements to and from their country. It only makes sense these days. I don't have a problem with it because I am pretty sure by the time I get another passport (2011) they will include fingerprints and probably other biometric data.

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

I was listening to one of the American Aviation Expert speaking on the Five Live Radio here in England and he was saying that the new US - VISIT system of Entry and Exit (which involves taking Biometric details including Fotos and fingerprints) is to be followed in many US airports but not in EVERY US airport. According to him, it will take quite some time to introduce this sytem is each and every US airport.

Apparently, one of the English reporters reporting for FIVE LIVE on the issue of delayed British Airways flights to Washington was already photographed and fingerprinted during his entry or exit two days ago. So the system has already begun......

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

I've been told the new US policy doesn't apply to visitors from VWP countries. Does anyone know if this is true?

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

I believe no one will be spared baring the US citizens....please take a look at the DHS publication at http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interap...orial_0333.xml

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

Thanks for that. I'd looked all over for it. The thing that is still unclear for me is that it says "all visitors on visas" and then refers to "The identity of all visitors who require a visa to travel to the US".

I guess I'll find out soon enough when I pop over for a visit.

Re: New US entry-exit procedures from Jan 5
 

You are welcome. We will know the details in a matter of days if not hours as our friends here will be sharing their experiences.