Uncle Sam
04-02-2004, 06:17 PM
http://www.*******.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4740719
WASHINGTON (*******) - Citizens from 27 of America's closest allies, including Britain, Japan and Australia, will now be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival in the United States as part of a security crackdown, authorities announced on Friday.
The policy, to begin at airports and seaports by Sept. 30 and at the 50 busiest U.S. land crossing by the end of the year, extends a program that started Jan. 5 under which everyone who comes to the United States on a visa -- except diplomats -- is fingerprinted and photographed on arrival.
U.S. officials said the move was needed to prevent attacks like those of Sept. 11, 2001 and reflected the expectation that the 27 "Visa Waiver" nations will miss an Oct. 26 deadline to begin issuing passports with biometric data like fingerprints.
The Bush administration said it had asked the U.S. Congress for a two-year extension to the deadline and said that its decision to fingerprint and photograph even the visitors who do not need visas was designed to close a loophole.
"We believe that an extension ... will avoid potential disruption to international travel and at the same time (requiring the fingerprints and photographs) will help mitigate the security concerns related to extending the deadline," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters.
"It will add security by allowing us to check against our terrorist criminal watchlist those foreign visitors who are traveling from Visa Waiver Program countries," said Homeland Security Department Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson.
The 27 countries affected are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Citizens from these countries, which include some of the closest U.S. allies whose governments backed the invasion of Iraq, are generally permitted to visit the United States without a visa for up to 90 days for pleasure or business.
U.S. officials say taking the digital fingerprints and photographs takes only seconds, but the policy has angered many since it was imposed in January or all visitors who require except diplomats.
It has also triggered retaliatory measures from nations including Brazil, which now fingerprints U.S. visitors, and China, which has said it will require some U.S. citizens seeking Chinese visas to appear for interviews.
A leading travel group, the Travel Industry Association of America, voiced concern that the new policy will hurt tourism.
"While we appreciate the rationale ... TIA is nonetheless greatly disappointed and very concerned about potential negative reactions in key inbound tourism markets in western Europe, Japan and other important Visa Waiver countries," said William Norman, the organization's president.
Hutchinson said the United States would not oppose moves by other countries to impose more security measures on U.S. citizens. "We recognize that it's a two-way street," he said.
About 2.6 million people have been processed since the original fingerprinting and photographing program began on Jan. 5, allowing U.S. officials to match up about 200 people with the U.S. criminal watch list, Hutchinson said.
A British Airways spokeswoman sought to reassure travelers, saying the existing program had led to "minimal or no delays."
WASHINGTON (*******) - Citizens from 27 of America's closest allies, including Britain, Japan and Australia, will now be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival in the United States as part of a security crackdown, authorities announced on Friday.
The policy, to begin at airports and seaports by Sept. 30 and at the 50 busiest U.S. land crossing by the end of the year, extends a program that started Jan. 5 under which everyone who comes to the United States on a visa -- except diplomats -- is fingerprinted and photographed on arrival.
U.S. officials said the move was needed to prevent attacks like those of Sept. 11, 2001 and reflected the expectation that the 27 "Visa Waiver" nations will miss an Oct. 26 deadline to begin issuing passports with biometric data like fingerprints.
The Bush administration said it had asked the U.S. Congress for a two-year extension to the deadline and said that its decision to fingerprint and photograph even the visitors who do not need visas was designed to close a loophole.
"We believe that an extension ... will avoid potential disruption to international travel and at the same time (requiring the fingerprints and photographs) will help mitigate the security concerns related to extending the deadline," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters.
"It will add security by allowing us to check against our terrorist criminal watchlist those foreign visitors who are traveling from Visa Waiver Program countries," said Homeland Security Department Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson.
The 27 countries affected are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Citizens from these countries, which include some of the closest U.S. allies whose governments backed the invasion of Iraq, are generally permitted to visit the United States without a visa for up to 90 days for pleasure or business.
U.S. officials say taking the digital fingerprints and photographs takes only seconds, but the policy has angered many since it was imposed in January or all visitors who require except diplomats.
It has also triggered retaliatory measures from nations including Brazil, which now fingerprints U.S. visitors, and China, which has said it will require some U.S. citizens seeking Chinese visas to appear for interviews.
A leading travel group, the Travel Industry Association of America, voiced concern that the new policy will hurt tourism.
"While we appreciate the rationale ... TIA is nonetheless greatly disappointed and very concerned about potential negative reactions in key inbound tourism markets in western Europe, Japan and other important Visa Waiver countries," said William Norman, the organization's president.
Hutchinson said the United States would not oppose moves by other countries to impose more security measures on U.S. citizens. "We recognize that it's a two-way street," he said.
About 2.6 million people have been processed since the original fingerprinting and photographing program began on Jan. 5, allowing U.S. officials to match up about 200 people with the U.S. criminal watch list, Hutchinson said.
A British Airways spokeswoman sought to reassure travelers, saying the existing program had led to "minimal or no delays."