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| - The United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) (superseded by the Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) in 2013) collects, maintains, and shares information on foreign nationals, including biometric identifiers, acquired by several source agencies. The US-VISIT program’s goals are to: 1.
* Enhance the security of American citizens, permanent residents, and visitors 2.
* Facilitate legitimate travel and trade 3.
* Ensure the integrity of the immigration system 4.
* Safeguard the personal privacy of visitors.
- Initially, only visitors who required a visa inserted in their passport were included in the US-VISIT program. However, since September 30, 2004 visitors eligible for the Visa Waiver Program have also been required to use the US-VISIT program. For a list of countries participating in VWP, see Visa Waiver Program. Since the program's inception, Congress has appropriated $330 million for FY 04, $340 million for FY 05, $340 million for FY 06 and $362 million for FY 07.
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| abstract
| - The United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) (superseded by the Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) in 2013) collects, maintains, and shares information on foreign nationals, including biometric identifiers, acquired by several source agencies. It is a continuum of security measures that begins overseas, at the Department of State's visa issuing posts, and continues through arrival and departure from the United States. Using biometric, such as digital, inkless fingerscans and digital photographs, the identity of visitors requiring a visa is now matched at each step to ensure that the person crossing the U.S. border is the same person who received the visa. The US-VISIT program’s goals are to: 1.
* Enhance the security of American citizens, permanent residents, and visitors 2.
* Facilitate legitimate travel and trade 3.
* Ensure the integrity of the immigration system 4.
* Safeguard the personal privacy of visitors. For visa-waiver travelers, the capture of biometrics first occurs at the port of entry to the United States. By checking the biometrics of a traveler against its databases, US-VISIT verifies whether the traveler has previously been determined inadmissible, is a known security risk (including having outstanding wants and warrants), or has previously overstayed the terms of a visa. These entry and exit procedures address the U.S. critical need for tighter security and ongoing commitment to facilitate travel for the millions of legitimate visitors welcomed each year to conduct business, learn, see family, or tour the country.
- Initially, only visitors who required a visa inserted in their passport were included in the US-VISIT program. However, since September 30, 2004 visitors eligible for the Visa Waiver Program have also been required to use the US-VISIT program. For a list of countries participating in VWP, see Visa Waiver Program. The United States and Canada have special agreements for visa-free travel, and currently most Canadians are not subject to US-VISIT. U.S. citizens are not required to be digitally fingerscanned or photographed when they enter United States territory. The Department of State began issuing biometric passports to its citizens in 2006. Since the program's inception, Congress has appropriated $330 million for FY 04, $340 million for FY 05, $340 million for FY 06 and $362 million for FY 07.
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