The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new rule requiring all non-American visitors, including Green Card holders, to undergo mandatory biometric authentication when entering or leaving the United States.
The rule, titled “Collection of Biometric Data From Aliens Upon Entry to and Departure From the United States,” was finalized on October 27, 2025, and will take effect from December 26, 2025.
What the New Rule Means
Under this rule, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can now photograph all non-citizens at every entry and exit point, including airports, seaports, and land crossings.
In some cases, travelers may also need to provide fingerprints, facial scans, or iris scans.
Even lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) will now be classified as “aliens” for the purpose of biometric collection.
However, there are a few exceptions:
Children below 14 years and adults above 79 years are exempt.
Canadian citizens who do not require a visa or a Form I-94 while entering the U.S. are also not covered under this rule.
This marks the expansion of a long-planned DHS program aimed at tracking all foreign nationals entering and exiting the country.
Concerns Over Data Storage and Privacy
The biometric data collected will be stored in DHS databases for long periods — up to 75 years for non-immigrant visitors and 15 years for permanent residents. For U.S. citizens, records will only be kept in short-term transaction logs.
Privacy groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) have expressed concerns that this could turn into a mass surveillance system, tracking millions of lawful residents and visitors.
The DHS, however, maintains that the data will be handled by contracted private companies under strict privacy agreements, with CBP overseeing all operations.
Nationwide Implementation to Take Up to 5 Years
According to CBP officials, it could take three to five years to roll out this system across all air, land, and sea borders.
The expansion depends on infrastructure upgrades, funding, and coordination with local and state authorities.
Once fully operational, the system will create one of the world’s most comprehensive biometric tracking networks, reshaping how the U.S. monitors entry and exit for all non-citizens.
