Spring 2004 issue

US-VISIT Comes Into Effect

While travelers arriving at U.S. ports-of-entry have been fingerscanned since January 5, fingerscanning of all applicants for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas in Poland begins late this summer. Congress mandated that embassies capture biometric data on all visa applicants by October 26. Applicants will first place their left index finger, then their right index finger on a glass plate that will electronically capture two fingerscans. Once these fingerscans are captured, the visa interview will proceed as usual. This will be done as part of the US-VISIT program.

The US-VISIT program—United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology—came into effect on January 5, 2004. Under the US-VISIT program, all holders of U.S. visas who wish to enter the United States are photographed and fingerscanned at ports of entry. US-VISIT uses scanning equipment to collect biometric information: photographs and inkless fingerprints. By gathering more comprehensive data about those who require visas to enter the U.S., the US-VISIT program enhances the security of America’s borders while expediting legitimate travel and trade.

What kind of information does US-VISIT glean? Together with the standard information gathered about a visitor’s identity and purpose of travel, US-VISIT verifies the person’s identity and his or her previous visa/immigration history. This digital biometric information is also checked against a database of known and suspected terrorists and criminals. These new procedures add about 15 seconds to the entry process.

All data obtained from the visitor is securely stored as part of the visitor’s travel record. This information is made available only to authorized U.S. government officials and law enforcement agencies.

US-VISIT protects visitors to the U.S. by making it virtually impossible to claim someone else’s identity should visitors lose their travel documents. This system has already proved effective in catching criminals at U.S. airports.

Welcome to our Readers || US-VISIT Comes Into Effect || Visa Denials Receiving Social Security Benefits Will Soon Be Easier || ELECTIONS 2004 Embassy Sees Many Applicants For Diversity Visas || Visas Dominate High Level Talks || Polish Students To Work In U.S. || Warsaw Hosts Consular Conference || How Can I Get Answers To My Consular Questions?