Houston: The United States' requirement for visitors to be fingerprinted and photographed before entering the country is being expanded to include millions of travellers from America's closest allies.

The US Department of Homeland Security yesterday (Apr 2, 2004) announced that it would begin processing visitors travelling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in US-VISIT from September 30, 2004, at air and sea ports of entry.

An estimated 13 million visitors from Visa Waiver Countries enter the US each year. Travellers from Visa Waiver Countries are allowed to enter the US for up to 90 days for business or pleasure using only a passport.

The photographs and fingerprints are already required from citizens of other nations that do require US visas.

According to Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary of Border and Transportation Security of the Department of Homeland Security "by September 30, visitors travelling under the Visa Waiver Program who arrive at airports and seaports will be enrolled in US-VISIT".

Under US law, the 27 nations must introduce passports with "biometric" data like fingerprints by October 26 but the State Department and the US Department of Homeland Security have asked Congress to approve a two-year extension because most, if not all, are not expected to meet the deadline.

"Since most countries are unable to meet the original October 2004 date to include biometrics in passports due to several technology-related reasons we have asked Congress for a two year extension of that requirement," Hutchison said.

The 27 countries affected are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Since its launch in January, the US-VISIT program has helped DHS and DOS officials intercept more than 200 persons with prior or suspected criminal or immigration violations.

These included convicted rapists, drug traffickers, individuals convicted of credit card fraud, a convicted armed robber and numerous immigration violators and individuals attempting visa fraud.

Currently, US-VISIT requires that most foreign visitors travelling to the US on a visa and arriving at an air or seaport have their two index fingers scanned and a digital photograph taken to verify their identity. By September 30, 2004, this process will also apply to visitors travelling under the VWP at all air and seaports of entry.

The US Congress passed the US-VISIT program in response to the Sep 11, 2001, attacks. From January this year, the US Government began fingerprinting and photographing visitors from nations other than the visa-waiver countries at the border.