US embassy begins fingerprinting visa applicants

The US embassy in Abu Dhabi started taking fingerprints of visa applicants from November 2. The move is in line with the US government's global security measures.

The embassy has installed electronic scanners at its visa application counters to take applicants' fingerprints.

"To facilitate safer travel for all visitors, the United States is implementing a new worldwide system using biometric identifiers for every visitor applying for a visa," the embassy announced in a statement yesterday.

The system was mandated by the US Congress and will be set at all the 260 missions throughout the world by October 26 next year.

It has been introduced following 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. The new system involves electronically collecting two fingerprints from each applicant using the scanner, which takes only a few seconds.

Explaining the process, Timothy Ponce, Vice Consul at the embassy, said prints of both left and right index fingers will be collected with the help of the scanner.

The fingerprinting is done when the applicant appears at the counter. It is done after receiving the application.

The picture of the applicant is already scanned when he appears for fingerprints. After scanning the picture, his file is electronically referred to the counter to get the fingerprints on it.

Ponce added if there is a problem with the scanning of index fingers, the officer may ask for other fingers, including thumbs, to be scanned.

He said all the fingerprints will be available at the entry points in the US to compare when a visa holder enters the country. About the system's introduction elsewhere in the Gulf region, Ponce said Abu Dhabi embassy is the first regional US mission to implement it.

However, he added all the missions in the region will introduce the system gradually.

Machines are being installed at the Consulate in Dubai, and the process will start at the consulate from today. Referring to those who already have multiple visas which they obtained from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Ponce said: "The visas will not be invalidated with the introduction of this system. However, the visa holders' fingerprints will be collected upon arrival at any of the entry point in the US and added to their records."

Therefore, those holding the US visa without their fingerprints collected before November 2 can still travel to the US with their valid visas.

"The State Department began collecting fingerprints of visa applicants at the embassy of the United States in Brussels on September 22, at the US Consulate in Frankfurt on September 24 and at the US embassies in San Salvador and Guatemala on September 29."