The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched "US-VISIT", the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology program January 5, 2004, requiring that most nonimmigrants seeking to enter the United States through major air and seaports submit to biometric scans upon entry. The program, created in response to several laws passed before and after September 11, 2001, mandates that an automated entry/exit system be implemented at major air and seaports by December 31, 2003; the 50 most highly trafficked land ports of entry by December 31, 2004; and all ports of entry by December 31, 2005. DHS is currently collecting two fingerprints and photographs from subject nonimmigrants, but has indicated it may expand its collection in the future. "Biometrics" are defined as automated methods of recognizing a person based on physiological or behavioral characteristics, such as facial features, fingerprints, hand geometry, handwriting, iris, retinal, vein and voice.  Biometric technologies are the basis of an extensive array of highly secure identification and personnel verification solutions.

Some nonimmigrants are specifically exempt from the US-VISIT program. Nonimmigrants who may currently bypass the biometric scans include travelers entering the United States pursuant to the visa waiver program; individuals who are younger than 14 or older than 79; and most diplomats and employees of international organizations (including those holding A, C, G, and NATO visas, except for attendants, servants or personal employees). In addition, the procedures do not currently affect foreign nationals entering the U.S. through land ports of entry, such as land ports along the Canadian and Mexican borders. U.S. Citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents are also not subject to the US-VISIT procedures.

The new entry procedures, including fingerprint/photo scanning, were fully operational at over 100 airports, including San Francisco International, San Jose International and Metropolitan Oakland International, and 12 major seaports. DHS expects to continue to expand the program over the coming year, and predicts that scanning will add approximately 15 seconds per person to the inspection and admission process.  The biographic and fingerprint data collected will be used to verify the identity of the visitor and will be compared against "lookout lists" of intelligence, (federal or state) law enforcement, and immigration government agencies.  The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer will admit the visitor, conduct secondary inspection, or deny admission.

New exit procedures are also operational at one airport, Baltimore, Maryland, and one seaport: Miami. The US-VISIT program will expand its exit procedures during the coming months to include similar biometric scanning at 15 major international air and seaports. DHS announced that these pilot departure programs will test different methods of collecting the required information from nonimmigrants departing the United States, including self-serve kiosks and hand-held scanners.

DHS officials reassured the public that the data captured and stored will be accessible only to authorized government personnel on an official need-to-know basis.  The program will be implemented in compliance with the Privacy Act, according to the DHS.  For full details and a list of frequently asked questions on the US-VISIT Program, click on www.dhs.gov/us-visit.

For the most current DHS press release on US-VISIT, click on: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0332.xml

For a complete list of complete ports of US-VISIT enabled entry and exit, click on: http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/USVisitnotice1-5-04.pdf

© 1999-2012, Jackson & Hertogs - All rights reserved