Permanent Residents to be subject to US-VISIT starting Jan 18, 2009

J

Jackolantern

Registered Users (C)
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-30095.htm

SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program (US-VISIT) in 2003 to verify the identities and travel documents of aliens. Aliens subject to US-VISIT may be required to provide fingerscans, photographs, or other biometric identifiers upon arrival at the United States. Currently, aliens arriving at a United States port of entry with a nonimmigrant visa, or those traveling without a visa as part of the Visa Waiver Program, are subject to US-VISIT requirements with certain limited exceptions. This final rule expands the population of aliens who will be subject to US-VISIT requirements to nearly all aliens, including lawful permanent residents. Exceptions include Canadian citizens seeking short-term admission for business or pleasure under B visas and individuals traveling on A and G visas, among others.
 
I've read the article but don't really understand the implication. If I go out and come back, do I need to go to a special line for fingerprinting or something? Could you enlighten in a layman language? Thanks!
 
mercedesbenz198 said:
I've read the article but don't really understand the implication. If I go out and come back, do I need to go to a special line for fingerprinting or something? Could you enlighten in a layman language? Thanks!
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Probably every booth has the fingerprinting equipment.
 
They're going to put fingerprint machines in every booth including the ones for "Citizens and Residents". However, the problem is that the slowdown from the fingerprinting may cause citizens to complain, resulting in green card holders being forced to use the slower visitors line in order to get the citizens through faster.
 
Jackolantern said:
They're going to put fingerprint machines in every booth including the ones for "Citizens and Residents". However, the problem is that the slowdown from the fingerprinting may cause citizens to complain, resulting in green card holders being forced to use the slower visitors line in order to get the citizens through faster.
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no worries......... I am willing to bet that pretty soon U.S. citizens will become part of the fingerprinting process.

here's something I've been wondering... will they attempt to match the fingerprint with the fingerprint on your greencard?

I'm now a citizen, so my passport contains no fingerprint(obviously). How are they going to know that it's actually me on the passport? My second-cousin looks exactly like me, with the right hair cut, when wearing my glasses....
 
foureyesimmigra said:
here's something I've been wondering... will they attempt to match the fingerprint with the fingerprint on your greencard?
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No, because they don't have the green card fingerprint in their system. And that's another flaw in the program. With US-VISIT they store the prints the first time you enter, and then on future trips they compare it with what you provided before. So the fingerprint matching can only be done at future occasions when people reuse the same passport or visa or green card.
 
Jackolantern said:
No, because they don't have the green card fingerprint in their system. And that's another flaw in the program. With US-VISIT they store the prints the first time you enter, and then on future trips they compare it with what you provided before. So the fingerprint matching can only be done at future occasions when people reuse the same passport or visa or green card.
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I can't even begin to imagine how much delay this will cause for permanant residents who cross the US/Canada border on a daily basis.

My cousin(greencard holder) and his wife(natural-born US citizen) cross the border twice a day. They live in Detroit, but both work in Windsor, Ontario.
 
Jackolantern said:
So the fingerprint matching can only be done at future occasions when people reuse the same passport or visa or green card.
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Do you honestly believe that CBP magically loses track of someone when they get a new visa or alien registration card? They certainly do not when a new ARC is issued (hint: the A# doesn't change).
 
TheRealCanadian said:
Do you honestly believe that CBP magically loses track of someone when they get a new visa or alien registration card? They certainly do not when a new ARC is issued (hint: the A# doesn't change).
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Yes, I know they can connect visas and green cards issued to people who had one previously. I thought that was well-understood and I wouldn't have to type an extra explanation that "same" was used to distinguish from documents issued to other people and wasn't referring to just the one physical instance of a given document. But I guess I should have counted on somebody to nitpick that detail.
 
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It's not a big of deal to me.
There are a plenty of inconveniences in this world and a bit of incovenience at POE is just negligible.
I'd rather like to shorten the delay in the waiting lines at the supermarket.
 
Jackolantern said:
Ever heard the story of the boiling frog?

Hint: You're acting like the frog.
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Whatever.
I have no reason to cry over fingerprinting.

If fingerprinting is such a big concern to someone, I'd envy their perfect life they must have had.
 
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GotPR? said:
Whatever.
I have no reason to cry over fingerprinting.

If fingerprinting is such a big concern to someone, I'd envy their perfect life they must have had.
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If you wait until the Big Brother impositions seriously affect your life before you get concerned, it's too late. By that time you're already being boiled and there's no getting out of the pot.

The fingerprinting at the POE by itself is not the real problem. It's that it's just another one or two degrees of increase in temperature of the water in which the frog sits, so the frog doesn't notice or care ... until there are series of other such added impositions and we're cooked because we didn't do anything about it earlier.
 
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Well said JackoLantern

I actually entered the US after my vacation on Jan 19th 09 - the first time since I got my GC late last year. I was very disappointed to see the GC line merged with visitors. US citizens were separate. I was so looking forward to finally being able to stand in the line which used to read: US Citizens / Permanent Residents but that was not to be.

I think this is ridiculous. Considering we have had to do multiple finger printing scans and long 4-5 year wait for a GC, they are still trying to test our patience.

If US VISIT process has to be done for GCs, then they should do it for US citizens as well. After all, a lot of terrorism is carried out by Citizens-turned-criminals. And what makes a criminal not pose as a US citizen by disguise / impersonation?
 
sunnyray21 said:
I actually entered the US after my vacation on Jan 19th 09 - the first time since I got my GC late last year. I was very disappointed to see the GC line merged with visitors. US citizens were separate. I was so looking forward to finally being able to stand in the line which used to read: US Citizens / Permanent Residents but that was not to be.

I think this is ridiculous. Considering we have had to do multiple finger printing scans and long 4-5 year wait for a GC, they are still trying to test our patience.

If US VISIT process has to be done for GCs, then they should do it for US citizens as well. After all, a lot of terrorism is carried out by Citizens-turned-criminals. And what makes a criminal not pose as a US citizen by disguise / impersonation?
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What process was it? How long did it take? How many FPs taken?
 
wantmygcnow said:
What process was it? How long did it take? How many FPs taken?
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They take four separate digital finger scans - left hand thumb, left hand fingers, right hand thumb and right hand fingers. They then take a digital photo of your face with a fixed camera. The whole process takes about thirty seconds.

Interestingly, when I went through this process a couple of weeks ago, it was the first time in over thirty entries with a green card that I wasn't asked how long I had been out of the country. I suspect the officer just forgot to ask because he was too involved in the fingerprint stuff.
 
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