Fingerprinting to Expand for Visitors LEAVING the U.S.
August 12 2004
The US-VISIT is part of the the Department of Homeland Security's program for tracking all visitors to the U.S. Upon entering the U.S., visitors' biometric data is taken via electronic fingerprinting. Now, the program is expanding as planned to include obtaining the biometric data of visitors leaving the U.S. at designated airports and ports-of-entry.
The ports of entry that are currently in the pilot program, and those that will soon be included are:
Baltimore-Washington International Airport
Miami's International Cruise Line Terminal
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Atlanta, Georgia (William B. Hartsfield International Airport)
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)
Denver, Colorado (Denver International Airport)
Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport)
Newark, New Jersey (Newark International Airport)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia International Airport)
Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport)
San Francisco, California (San Francisco International Airport)
San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Munoz Marin International Airport)
Seattle, Washington (Seattle/Tacoma International Airport)
Los Angeles, California (San Pedro and Long Beach Seaports)
Any visitor with a visa who leaves the United States through one of the pilot sites is required to comply. After September 30, 2004, visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program will be required to comply as well.
Exiting visitors will go though one of the following two processes, depending on location.
- Under one alternative, visitors departing the United States will check out of the country at exit stations located within the airport or seaport terminal. As with the process the visitors encounter upon entry at airports or seaports, their travel documents are read, their two index fingers will be scanned at the exit station, their digital picture will be taken, and they will receive a printed receipt that verifies that they have checked out. An exit workstation attendant will be available to assist with visitors' check out. Visitors also may be required to present the receipt at their departure gate to confirm that they checked out at the exit station.
- Another alternative under the pilot program is a biometric check-out process with a US-VISIT exit attendant at visitors' departure gates. To help the process run smoothly, foreign visitors will receive a printed card explaining the exit process from Customs and Border Protection when they arrive in the United States. Also, directional signs are strategically located throughout the airports and seaports.