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As of yesterday (30th September 2004), the US-VISIT programme will be extended to include travellers from the UK and those from other Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) countries entering the United States.
Under US-VISIT (full title: United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology), all VWP travellers aged 14-79 will be photographed and have their index fingers scanned electronically on arrival in the US.
The system, developed as part of America's drive for more secure borders in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has been in operation for all non-VWP travellers to the United States since January this year. Despite concerns that the additional security procedures would add minutes and perhaps hours to arrival waiting times at US borders, Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary for Border Transportation and Security, said at a press conference at the US Embassy in London yesterday that the introduction of US-VISIT had been a success and delays had been kept to a minimum.
Hutchinson did, however, acknowledge that at certain hub airports such as Washington Dulles and Houston waiting times of two to three hours have not been uncommon, adding that 'it is a priority within the Department of Homeland Security to assess and reduce these delays'.
In general, Hutchinson sought to counteract concerns that US-VISIT would greatly inconvenience visitors to the US, and even discussed plans - albeit in their infancy - to introduce a frequent-traveller programme. 'Once a database has been established we will be able to build it into a frequent-traveller programme under which regular visitors will actually have their immigration procedure simplified,' he announced.
For more information on US-VISIT, please visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website at www.dhs.gov/us-visit.
