Overview
- The final rule took effect December 26, ending limited pilots and mandating biometric photographs of non‑U.S. citizens at airports, land crossings and seaports on both entry and exit.
- Lawful permanent residents are processed as noncitizens and travelers of all ages are included, while U.S. citizens may opt in and have images deleted within about 12 hours.
- Previous carve‑outs such as many diplomatic categories and most Canadian visitors are removed, with coverage expanded to private aircraft, maritime departures, vehicle lanes and pedestrian exits.
- CBP will store noncitizen photos in DHS systems for up to 75 years, and refusal to be photographed can result in inadmissibility findings or immigration‑status violations.
- Separately, DHS has proposed ESTA changes under public comment that would require social‑media identifiers, expanded contact and family information, mobile‑app‑only filing with applicant photos, and broader biometric modalities under consideration.