US-VISIT Moves Out of Biometric Exit Pilot Phase

US-VISIT Moves Out of Biometric Exit Pilot Phase

May 07, 2007

    WASHINGTON, May 7 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that
it intends to integrate biometric exit procedures into the
existing international visitor departure process. The
change will make the process of departing the United States
more convenient and accessible for international visitors.

    DHS will take a number of steps in the next year toward
full implementation of biometric exit procedures at
airports. The first step will be the completion of the
three-year pilot program that required international
visitors to biometrically check out at select airports and
seaports. Effective May 6, 2007, international visitors
will no longer be required to use the US-VISIT exit kiosks
when they leave the United States. International visitors
who received a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, upon arrival must
still return the form to an airline or ship representative
when departing the United States. 

    DHS recently submitted an exit plan to Congress as part
of the US-VISIT 2007 Expenditure Plan that incorporates
lessons learned from the biometric exit pilot program.
While the program demonstrated that the technology works,
it also revealed low traveler compliance. DHS has
determined that US-VISIT air exit procedures should be
incorporated into the existing international visitor
departure process to minimize the effect on visitors and to
ensure seamless biometric collection regardless of the
visitor's departure point.  

    DHS, Congress and the 9/11 Commission have consistently
recognized biometric exit control as a priority in order to
fully secure our nation's borders. Development of an
automated exit capability is one of the department's
congressional mandates. Since 2003, DHS has systematically
tackled technical and operational challenges and deployed a
biometrics-based entry process through US-VISIT. 

    DHS is now prepared to begin implementing exit
procedures in the commercial air environment, where the
significant majority of those subject to US-VISIT depart
the United States. The department recently began discussing
the air exit strategy with the airline industry and will be
working with air carriers to implement it. DHS will publish
a regulation in the future outlining its plans for
implementing an integrated air exit strategy.

    The following locations tested biometric exit
procedures: 

    -- Atlanta, Ga. (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport)
    -- Baltimore, Md. (Baltimore/Washington International
Airport)
    -- Chicago, Ill. (Chicago O'Hare International
Airport)
    -- Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth
International Airport) 
    -- Denver, Colo. (Denver International Airport) 
    -- Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
Airport)
    -- Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood
International Airport)
    -- Los Angeles, Calif. (San Pedro and Long Beach
Seaports)
    -- Miami, Fla. (Miami International Cruise Line
Terminal)
    -- Newark, N.J. (Newark Liberty International Airport)
    -- Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia International
Airport) 
    -- San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Munoz Marin
International Airport)
    -- San Francisco, Calif. (San Francisco International
Airport)
    -- Seattle, Wash. (Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport)

    The US-VISIT program provides biometrics-based identity
management services to entities throughout the U.S.
government. Most international visitors applying to enter
the United States experience US-VISIT procedures-digital
fingerprint collection and a photograph. Department of
State consular officers and U.S. CBP officers use US-VISIT
biometric identity management services to establish and
verify international visitors' identities in order to make
visa-issuance and admission decisions.


    For more information, please contact:

    US-VISIT Public Affairs
    Tel: [phone]
    Web: http://www.dhs.gov/us-visit