Overview
- Effective December 26, CBP is photographing all foreign nationals at entry and exit across airports, land borders, and seaports, expanding biometric verification beyond prior pilots.
- The rule applies regardless of age or status, covering permanent residents and removing earlier carveouts such as many diplomats and most Canadian visitors.
- Required identifiers include facial photos and, in specified circumstances, fingerprints, with reporting noting possible use of other biometrics in limited cases.
- Refusing a required facial image can result in an inadmissibility finding at entry or a status violation at exit, with potential consequences for future travel.
- U.S. citizens are not required to participate; voluntary photos are purged within about 12 hours, while a separate DHS proposal would add five years of social‑media history and a mobile‑only process to ESTA, now open for public comment.