U.S. Borders Get a Biometric Upgrade

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) new guidance has authorized U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect biometrics, including photographs, from all non-U.S. travelers entering and exiting the country, effective December 26.

The move gives fresh impetus to CBP’s long-delayed biometric exit system, which the agency expects to be fully implemented at all commercial airports and seaports within the next three to five years.

Other regions are already moving in this direction. The European Union (EU), for example, launched its digital Entry/Exit System last month, capturing facial images and fingerprints from all non-EU travelers. With this DHS action, the U.S. is formally adopting facial comparison technology, which is fast becoming the global standard for secure and efficient travel.

With an accuracy rate of over 98 percent compared with manual biographic checks, CBP’s facial comparison technology will enhance the identity verification process. Additionally, biometric technology will streamline the travel experience by allowing passengers to move through airports and seaports more efficiently without repeatedly showing passports and boarding passes. With full biometric exit in place for international air departures, visa overstay rates—rather than visa refusal rates—will become the key metric for Visa Waiver Program (VWP) eligibility, opening the door for new visa-free partner countries.

The VWP is one of the most effective tools the U.S. has to boost international inbound travel, and historical data testifies that joining the program drives measurable growth. Six months after a country’s admission, arrivals increased by 18 percent relative to overall visitation, and three years after admission, arrivals grew by 24 percent. 

Take South Korea, for example. Three years after being added to the VWP in November 2008, South Korean visitation to the U.S. was nearly 50 percent above the pre-joining levels, showing the long-term economic benefits of VWP participation. Completing the biometric entry-exit system and expanding VWP will further strengthen travel spending, support travel industry jobs and generate additional tax revenue.

This progress is a result of years of advocacy. U.S. Travel secured millions in funding for biometric technology in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" and has long championed full biometric entry-exit implementation, highlighting its role in improving security, streamlining travel and facilitating VWP expansion.

The Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel recommended completing biometric air exit by 2026 to strengthen identity verification and create a more secure and efficient travel system.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and America 250 quickly approaching, the U.S. will look to implement biometric entry-exit system to enhance national security, make travel smoother and unlock the benefits of visa-free travel.