A recent story about a woman’s US tourist visa denial has stirred plenty of discussion online. Many are pointing to the growing strictness in America’s immigration policies, especially after new rules were announced that affect every foreign national and green card holder crossing US borders.
Under the updated guidelines, the US Department of Homeland Security now requires all immigrants and non-citizens to be photographed both when they enter and leave the country. This measure is a major step up from past procedures, which only mandated biometric checks for certain categories of travelers. Since 2004, limited groups of foreign visitors have provided fingerprints and photos as part of their entry process, but now the scope is much broader.
Key highlights of these new regulations include:
- All foreigners—including green card holders—must have their photographs taken when arriving and departing the US.
- The previous age exemption (for those under 14 and over 79) has been eliminated, meaning all ages are now subject to biometric collection.
- These changes are scheduled to go into effect starting December 26, 2025.
What’s Behind the Expanded Biometric Rules?
According to officials, these updated requirements are meant to improve national security. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will oversee the new process, gathering photographs and, if needed, fingerprints of all non-citizens. Passenger details, visa application pictures, and passport images will now also be matched using facial recognition technology.
Some stated benefits of the new system:
- Enhances national security by making it harder for someone to use fake travel documents or overstay visas undetected.
- Helps fight terrorism by improving identity verification for non-citizens.
- Aims to stop people from staying in the US beyond their authorized period.
The expansion comes as the current administration intensifies efforts to manage who can enter and remain in the country. There has also been a crackdown on individuals already in the US—ranging from stepped-up ICE operations to tighter scrutiny for both visa applicants and green card holders. One particularly controversial addition is the vetting of applicants’ social media history, leading to revoked visas and even deportations in some cases.
What Travelers Should Know
For anyone planning a trip to the US, it’s important to be prepared for:
- Mandatory biometric collection at entry and exit points for all non-citizens, with no exemptions for age.
- The possibility of both photographs and fingerprints being required at airports and other ports of entry.
- Enhanced use of technology, such as facial recognition, during immigration processing.
- Greater emphasis on background checks and complete, accurate information in your travel documents.
With the US tightening its approach to border security and immigration, every traveler should stay updated on the latest entry requirements and make sure all paperwork is in order before setting out.
