The United States Embassy said in a release yesterday that beginning January 5, 2004, all travellers to the United States departing through Nassau and Freeport International airports who require U.S. visas will be fingerprinted and photographed using digital equipment when passing through the U.S. pre-clearance facilities.
Bahamian citizens who do not require U.S. visas when travelling directly to the United States from The Bahamas will therefore not be fingerprinted and photographed when passing through the facilities, the release said.
However, it also pointed out that Bahamians who exit the U.S. to other countries will be fingerprinted and photographed at the port of entry upon their return to the United States.
Beginning summer 2004, Bahamians applying for visas at the U.S. Embassy will be photographed and fingerprinted for our records. Precise timing for implementation will be provided by a subsequent press release.
The move is a part of an international effort by the United States to improve border management at its ports of entry.
Recently unveiled technology uses scanning equipment to collect “biometric identifiers”, such as fingerprinting, in an inkless process, along with a digital photograph of the visitor. The programme will be operative January 5 in 115 airports and 14 major seaports, the release said.
“The addition of biometric identifiers, such as fingerprints, makes our security system more effective than name databases alone,” the statement said. “Biometric identifiers also protect our visitors by making it virtually impossible for anyone else to claim their identity should their travel documents be stolen or duplicated.”
Authorities will require visitors to put one and then the other index finger on a glass plate that will electronically capture two fingerprints.
Visitors will also be asked to look into a camera and their picture will be taken. This can be done while fingerprinting is in process.
The release said that the enhancements to the entry procedures add minimal time to the process – only seconds in most cases.
The statement also said that all data obtained from the visitor will be securely stored as part of the visitor’s travel record. The information will be available only to authorized officials and selected law enforcement agencies responsible for ensuring the safety and security of U.S. citizens and foreign visitors.
The Department of Homeland Security is aggressively working to meet the Congressional December 31, 2003 deadline to have in place an entry and exit system that strengthens security through verification and expedites travel for legitimate visitors while respecting their privacy and our environment, the release said.
The special prgramme received $380 million in fiscal year 2003 and has been appropriated $330 million for fiscal year 2004.
The Bahama Journal
