US Immigration Implements Biometric-based Border

scubacuda writes "The NY Times reports (free registration) that immigrations officials are putting in place a sophisticated new identification system that uses ID cards encrypted with digital photos, signatures, biographical information and fingerprints that have been issued by the State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service by the millions over the last five years. "With more information systems, there are more opportunities for abuse," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which is pushing the government to release more information on its biometric plans."

Comments

Re:Foreign passports require biometrics?

[roybadami]

Sorry about the dropped tag above.

Found another reference that might be of interest:

http://www.gunweek.com/archives/2002/hs090102.html

The countries that are members of the US visa waiver programme (allowing short stays in the US without a visa) are required to implement biometrics on all passports issued after October 2004, otherwise their citizens will be required to apply for a US visa in order to visit the US.

The article comments that the Irish are concerned about the possible damage to trade and tourism that would result from the reintroduction of visa requirements.

I'll be intrested to see how this turns out, but I think there'll be a public outcry here in the UK if there's an attempt to include biometrics on British passports.

So I guess I'll be needing a visa, then...