Application Procedures & Fees
Fingerprint Scans
During the visa interview, applicants between the ages of 14 and 79 (inclusive) will be required will be required to submit their fingerprints. The applicant will place all ten fingers on an electronic scanner. The fingerprints are captured in an inkless process.
The electronic data from the fingerprint scans is stored in a database, where it is linked to an issued visa for verification. The privacy of the data is protected by storage in the database. The fingerprint data is then available to Department of Homeland Security immigration inspectors at U.S. ports of entry.
At the port of entry, the immigration officer will use an inkless fingerprint scanner to automatically read the fingerprints of all arriving visitors. This information is then compared to the data stored in the database. The immigration officer will also take a digital photograph of the arriving visitor.
The addition of biometric identifiers, such as digital “fingerscans,” makes U.S. security systems more effective. Previously, U.S. immigration inspectors were only able to compare travelers' biographic data, such as a visitor’s name, against watch lists of suspected terrorists, criminals and other violators. With the addition of biometric identifiers, it makes it much more difficult for suspects to hide their true identities.
Biometric identifiers also protect visitors to the United States by making it virtually impossible for anyone else to claim the identity of a legitimate traveler if that traveler's passport is stolen or duplicated. Biometric identifiers also reduce fraud and abuse of the immigration system.
To learn more about border security, please see the US-VISIT page of the Department of Homeland Security.