US-VISIT

The following is a US-VISIT Fact Sheet published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on December 30, 2005.

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US-VISIT Fact Sheet

US VISIT: Goals

• Enhance the security of our citizens and visitors
• Facilitate legitimate travel and trade
• Ensure the integrity of our immigration system
• Protect the privacy of our visitors

US VISIT: An Overview

The US VISIT program is the centerpiece of the United States government’s efforts to transform our nation’s border management and immigration systems in a way that meets the needs and challenges of the 21st century.

US VISIT is part of a continuum of biometrically-enhanced security measures that begins outside U.S. borders and continues through a visitor’s arrival in and departure from the United States. It incorporates eligibility determinations made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State.

US VISIT currently applies to all visitors (with limited exemptions) entering the United States, regardless of country of origin or whether they are traveling on a visa or by air, sea or land. Most visitors experience US VISIT’s biometric procedures – digital, inkless finger scans and digital photograph – upon entry to the United States.

In those cases where a visitor requires a visa, the Department of State collects the visitor’s biometric and biographic information through the BioVisa program, which is then checked against watch lists, thereby improving the Department of State’s ability to make a visa determination. When the visitor arrives in the United States, US VISIT procedures allow the Department of Homeland Security to determine whether the person applying for entry is the same person who was issued the visa by the Department of State, and additional watch list checks improve the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to make admissibility decisions.

US-VISIT entry procedures are currently in place at airports and seaports with international arrivals and in the secondary inspection areas of U.S. land border ports of entry.

In August, 2005, US VISIT began a test of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology at five land border ports of entry with Canada and Mexico to record the entry and exit of visitors who are required to carry a Form I 94 and enroll in the US VISIT program. The test is expected to continue until spring 2006.

As it moves toward fulfilling its vision for an automated entry exit system at the land border ports of entry into the United States, US VISIT is continuing to improve the border management system through the innovative use of technology.

US VISIT: How It Works

Pre Entry: 

• Visitors applying for a visa have their information reviewed before they enter the United States. The Departments of Homeland Security and State play essential roles in determining the eligibility of a visitor to receive a visa.

• In June 2005, DHS and the State Department announced a decision that clarified passport requirements for countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). 

• Any passports issued by VWP countries on or after October 26, 2005, must include digital photographs on each of the new passports’ data pages and must be machine readable.

• Unexpired passports issued before October 26, 2005, will still be valid for travel under the VWP, provided that they are machine readable. 

• Any VWP visitor whose passport does not comply will be required to obtain a visa before being admitted to the United States.

• DHS has reminded visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that they are required to produce passports with digital photographs by October 26, 2005. The requirement for digital photographs is part of a multi layered approach to increasing the security of our citizens and visitors by helping to ensure the integrity of their travel documents. 

• Transportation carriers will now be fined $3,300 per violation for transporting any visitor traveling under the Visa Waiver Program to the United States who does not meet the above listed requirements. Similarly, visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program arriving in the United States without the proper passport should not anticipate being granted entry into the country.

Entry: 

• Many of the entry procedures in place today at air, sea and land border ports remain unchanged and are familiar to international visitors. When a visitor arrives through an airport or seaport, he or she is enrolled in US VISIT as part of the primary inspection process. At land border ports of entry, those visitors carrying a foreign passport and/or are required to complete a Form I 94 are enrolled in US VISIT at the secondary inspection area. (This does not apply to most Canadian citizens or, initially, to Mexican citizens who use their Border Crossing Cards or “laser visas.”)

• As DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff announced in mid July, 2005, DHS will strengthen the US VISIT program by requiring 10 finger scans for all first time visitors to the United States. Subsequent entries and exits at air, sea and land border ports will require two finger scans for verification. The 10 fingerscan standard enhances security and visitor privacy and increases accuracy, making it less likely that visitors will be referred for secondary inspection. 

• Visitors will also look into a camera and have a digital picture taken.

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers will review travel documents and ask questions about the visitor’s stay in the United States.

• The biometric enhancements to the entry procedures take just seconds.

• Biometric identifiers also protect our visitors by making it virtually impossible for anyone else to claim their identities should their biometrically enhanced travel documents (such as a visa) be stolen or duplicated.

 

Status Management

 

• Should a visitor seek to adjust status or extend his/her stay, US VISIT would be updated with any modifications to the person’s status.

Exit

 

• US-VISIT is continuing to explore departure confirmation alternatives at airports and seaports, as well as at land border ports of entry around the United States. 

• US VISIT compares arrival and departure biographical manifest data provided by the airlines and cruise lines to know when someone entered and exited the country.

 

US VISIT: Using New Technologies

 

• DHS continues to work closely with the Department of State, building on the biographic and biometric collection under way at U.S. consulates around the world. All visa issuing posts overseas are collecting biometric data from visa applicants.

• DHS is working in partnership with the private sector to identify entry exit solutions that work in the unique land border environment.

 

US-VISIT: Facilitating Legitimate Travel and Trade

 

• US VISIT intends to build upon the technologies and management systems previously employed for entry in order to realize an automated entry exit process. RFID technology offers a solution for a potentially faster, biometrically enhanced entry exit operation.

• Using an automatic identifier, RFID technology can detect a visitor at a distance (up to 100 feet) and provide primary inspection with entry information. RFID technology can also provide a mechanism for an accurate and timely record of exits without requiring visitors to interrupt their travels by stopping or even slowing down to check out.

• RFID technology testing began in August, 2005, at the Pacific Highway and Peace Arch ports in Washington state; Alexandria Bay in New York; and the ports of Nogales East and Nogales West in Arizona. The testing is expected to continue through spring 2006.

• Participants at the test locations will be the same visitors who already require a Form I 94 to enter the United States.

• The testing process is electronic and largely transparent to visitors, allowing them to enter and exit the port at current speeds, without any additional stops.

• US VISIT will ensure that our visitors’ information is always protected. The RFID technology used by US VISIT will protect sensitive information because it will read only a randomly-generated number that links to visitors’ information stored securely in a database. It will also be tamper proof and difficult to counterfeit or surreptitiously read.

 

Respecting Privacy and the Environment

 

• The Department of Homeland Security protects the biometric and biographic information provided by visitors and ensures that their privacy interests are not violated. US VISIT records will be protected in a manner consistent with all applicable privacy laws and regulations. Personal information will be kept secure and confidential and will not be discussed with or disclosed to any person within or outside the US VISIT program other than as authorized by law and as required for the performance of official duties. Appropriate security controls will ensure that the data is not used or accessed improperly.

• US VISIT has published a Privacy Impact Assessment that ensures that personal information is used appropriately, protected from misuse and improper disclosure and destroyed when no longer needed. This will be updated as necessary. 

• A US VISIT privacy officer is available to answer questions or resolve concerns and may be contacted by sending an e mail to usvisitprivacy@dhs.gov or by writing to the Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. 20528, U.S.A., ATTN: US VISIT Appeal. Information on the US VISIT privacy program is available at www.dhs.gov/us visit.

• US VISIT complies with all environmental laws and regulations.

 

Timing and Delivery

 

• The Department of Homeland Security has deployed biometric entry procedures to all airports and seaports with international arrivals and to the secondary inspection areas of U.S. land border ports of entry, thus strengthening the security of the United States, and helping to facilitate travel for legitimate visitors while respecting their privacy.

• The US VISIT program received $330 million for FY 2004, $340 million for FY05, and has been appropriated $340 million for FY 2006.

 

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updated December 30, 2005