Fingerprints are now being required for international travel

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it has begun collecting additional fingerprints from international visitors
Forbes.com

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it has begun collecting additional fingerprints from international visitors arriving at George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (Bush Intercontinental). The change is part of the department's upgrade from two- to 10-fingerprint collection to enhance security and facilitate legitimate travel by more accurately and efficiently establishing and verifying visitors' identities.

"Biometrics have revolutionized our ability to prevent dangerous people from entering the United States since 2004. Our upgrade to 10-fingerprint collection builds on our success, enabling us to focus more attention on stopping potential security risks," US-VISIT Director Robert Mocny said.

For more than four years, U.S. Department of State (DOS) consular officers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have been collecting biometrics -- digital fingerprints and a photograph -- from all non-U.S. citizens between the ages of 14 and 79, with some exceptions, when they apply for visas or arrive at U.S. ports of entry.

Bush Intercontinental is the next port of entry to begin collecting 10 fingerprints from international visitors. Washington Dulles International Airport began 10-fingerprint collection on November 29, 2007. Thus far, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport have also begun 10- fingerprint collection. Five other airports will soon begin collecting additional fingerprints, including: San Francisco International Airport, Miami International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Orlando International Airport, and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The remaining airports, seaports and land border ports of entry will transition to collecting 10 fingerprints by the end of 2008. See: DHS Begins Collecting 10 Fingerprints From International Visitors at ...