US to Fingerprint all Foreign Visitors

03/04/2004| IslamWeb

The United States said yesterday it will fingerprint and photograph the citizens of 27 nations that do not require US visas, including visitors from close allies like Britain, Australia and Japan. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the new policy would be put in place at all US airports and seaports by September 30, requiring citizens of the 27 Visa Waiver Programme countries to provide "two digital index finger scans and a digital photograph" to verify their identity. The photographs and fingerprints are already required from citizens of other nations that do require US visas and have proved unpopular among many, although US officials say the process takes a matter of seconds and is needed to protect against attacks like those of September 11. Under US law, the 27 nations must introduce passports with "biometric" data like fingerprints by October 26 but the State Department and the US Department of Homeland Security have asked Congress to approve a two-year extension because most, if not all, are not expected to meet the deadline. The 27 countries affected are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Metropolitan Transit Authority Police and a K-9 officers stand guard Friday, April 2, 2004, during the evening rush hour in New York's Grand Central Terminal. (AP Photo/Ed Bailey)