Enhancing Security
Through Biometric
Identification
Success Stories:
US-VISIT’s Biometric Services Help
Protect the United States From Dangerous People
International Collaboration Illustrates the Power of Biometrics
to Verify Identity, Uncovers Rape Suspect Hiding From Authorities
The United Kingdom and the United States are currently working together to prevent criminals and
immigration violators from entering their countries. When a man applied for asylum in the United
Kingdom, U.K. immigration officials requested that the United States check the man’s fingerprints
against the Department of Homeland Security’s US-VISIT data. The results revealed the man had
previously traveled to the United States using a different name. This new information confirmed
that the asylum applicant was lying about his identity. Upon further investigation, the United
Kingdom learned that the man was wanted on rape charges in Australia, and he was returned
there to face court proceedings.
Biometrics Reveal Immigration Violator Attempting to Use
Twin Brother’s Visa
A man arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and presented a valid passport
and a visa. The name on his travel documents did not raise any concern. However, when his
fingerprints were checked through US-VISIT, they revealed he was trying to use the visa belonging
to his twin brother, who had no history of criminal or immigration violations. By matching his
biometrics, CBP officers learned this man had been apprehended for taking photos of a U.S.
military base and had overstayed the term of his admission on a previous visit to the United
States. CBP officers refused the man admission to the United States.
Biometrics Reveal Asylum Applicant Wanted For Kidnapping
When a man applied for asylum at a U.S. asylum office, his fingerprints were checked against
US-VISIT’s data. Although he had used three aliases and a different date of birth to try to evade
detection, his biometrics revealed an extensive criminal record, including charges for rape, assault,
and an outstanding warrant for kidnapping. As a result of US-VISIT’s positive identification of this
person, the asylum office contacted ICE, who later arrested the man.
BEFORE US-VISIT
Paper-based travel documents were susceptible to
fraud/alteration
Officials relied on biographic information, which can be forged,
to verify identity and make visa-issuance or admission decisions
Disparate information systems lacked coordination
Countries operated independently from one another on law
and immigration enforcement
AFTER US-VISIT
Significantly increased ability to detect fraudulent/altered
travel document use
Officials use biometrics, which are virtually impossible to forge,
to prevent dangerous people from obtaining visas or entering the
United States
Better coordination with other agencies; provide a single
source for biometrics-based information on dangerous people
Countries are adopting similar standards to stop criminals,
immigration violators and known or suspected terrorists
Biometrics and US-VISIT
US-VISIT’s biometric identification and analysis services are revolutionizing
the way decision makers establish and verify a person’s identity.
Biometrics—unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, that can
be used for automated recognition—form the foundation of US-VISIT’s
identification services because they are reliable, convenient and virtually
impossible to forge.
US-VISIT’s Biometric Identification
and Analysis Services
Biometrics collected by US-VISIT and linked to
collected since US-VISIT began to determine if
specific biographic information allow for the
a person is using an alias and attempting to use
establishment, then verification, of a person’s
fraudulent identification.
identity by the U.S. government.
When an identification document is presented, a
With each encounter, from applying for a visa
person’s biometrics are also checked against those
to seeking immigration benefits to entering the
associated with the document to ensure that the
United States, US-VISIT checks a person’s biometrics
document belongs to the person presenting it and
against a watch list of known or suspected terrorists,
not someone else.
criminals and immigration violators.
US-VISIT provides the results of these checks to
Those biometrics are also checked against the
decision makers when and where they need it.
entire database of all of the fingerprints the
US-VISIT is helping prevent identity fraud and
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has
depriving criminals and immigration violators of
the ability to cross our borders.
US-VISIT: At the Forefront of Government-Driven
Biometric Innovation
For more than 40 years, the U.S. government has driven biometrics research, developing early applications,
such as automated fingerprint matching and digital fingerprint scanners. It has significantly deepened
collaboration across its many agencies and with the private sector to advance biometric technology as a means
to counter the increasing sophistication of criminals, terrorists and other dangerous people.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress and the 9/11 Commission called for increased
use of biometrics, and the White House created a cabinet-level subcommittee to coordinate policy to deploy
biometric technology across many federal agencies. US-VISIT’s biometric identification and analysis services
are a successful application of years of government-driven innovation and increased focus since September 11.
Today, US-VISIT continues to drive biometric innovations that further homeland security and help us to stay
one step ahead of those who seek to circumvent our security measures. This includes testing mobile biometric
technology, exploring multimodal biometrics like iris and facial recognition and pushing industry to address the
broad array of human factors that are critical to successful large-scale deployments of biometric technology.
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US-VISIT’s Biometric Services on the Front Lines
US-VISIT provides biometric identification and
U.S. Coast Guard
analysis services to decision makers across federal,
US-VISIT verifies the identities of illegal migrants the
state and local governments. US-VISIT supplies the
Coast Guard apprehends at sea in the Florida Straits;
technology for collecting and storing biometric data,
in the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and the
provides analysis of the data to decision makers,
Dominican Republic; and other locations.
and ensures the integrity of the data.The personal
Department of Justice & State and Local Law
information collected by US-VISIT is used only for the
Enforcement
purposes for which it was collected and as authorized
US-VISIT is working with the FBI to provide state and
or mandated by law.
local law enforcement with immigration violation
Department of State (State)
information on their criminal arrests so that officers
US-VISIT establishes and verifies the identities of
have more complete information about the person
visa applicants at consulates and embassies around the
they have arrested.
world.
Investigation Support
U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
US-VISIT’s Biometric Support Center (BSC) helps many
US-VISIT establishes and verifies the identities of
federal, state and local agencies with their investigations.
international visitors arriving at air, sea and land border
Every week, the highly trained forensic analysts, who
ports of entry. US-VISIT also supports the U.S. Border
verify biometrics 24 hours a day, seven days a week, help
Patrol’s enforcement efforts by verifying the identities
solve crimes, identify John or Jane Does and support
of illegal migrants apprehended at our land borders.
terrorist investigations.
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services
Department of Defense (DOD) & Intelligence
US-VISIT establishes and verifies the identities of
Community
people applying for immigration benefits, including
US-VISIT helps DOD and the intelligence community
asylum or refugee status.
identify terrorists and terror suspects by analyzing
biometric information they collect from locations
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)
where terrorists have been, such as safe houses or
US-VISIT provides ICE with actionable leads on people
training camps.
who have overstayed their visas and assists with the
verification of the identities of arrested criminals.
In Depth: Establishing and Verifying Identity
Throughout the Travel Process
US-VISIT’s most visible service is the collection
of biometrics—digital fingerprints and a
photograph—from international visitors at U.S.
visa-issuing posts and ports of entry. Each day,
US-VISIT verifies the identities of about 30,000
visitors for State and 100,000 for CBP.
Pre-travel
Consular officers collect biometric and biographic
data from visa applicants to establish identity
information.This information is used to help
make visa determinations. As a result of biometric
checks, US-VISIT has identified thousands of
people with histories of criminal or immigration
violations that would otherwise be unknown.
Entry
US-VISIT enables CBP officers to verify whether
the person applying for entry to the United States
is the same person to whom the visa was issued.
For international visitors traveling under the Visa
Waiver Program, it is the first opportunity to
enroll in US-VISIT and establish identity.Visitors
are also checked against watch lists and against
US-VISIT’s data to determine if they are using
an alias and attempting to use fraudulent
identification. Based on biometrics alone,
US-VISIT has helped CBP stop thousands of
people at ports of entry who were ineligible to
enter the United States.
Status Management
US-VISIT monitors and records the status of
people who apply for immigration benefits in
the United States, such as adjustments to lawful
permanent resident status, extensions of stay or
changes from one nonimmigrant visa category
to another. US-VISIT matches the entry and exit
records of people to identify those who may
have overstayed the terms of their admission
and provides this information to ICE.This
enhanced information-sharing process provides
an increased capability to identify and apprehend
people who have remained in the United States
illegally—a critical tool with which to
manage the immigration and border system.
Exit
Applying the power of biometrics to an automated
exit capability has always been a key objective
of US-VISIT. Biometrically recording a visitor’s
departure will provide DHS with a faster, more
accurate way to determine who has departed
the United States according to the terms of their
admission and who has not.
In the future, those international visitors who
provide biometrics when they enter the United States
will also be required to provide biometrics when
they depart.
Mobile BiometricSUCCESS ST
Identification Catches Human
ORY:
Deters Illegal MigrationSmugglers,
The U.S. Coast Guard interdicted 10 migrants attempting
to Rico by sea. When the migrants’
it was
to illegally enter Puer
biometrics were checked against US-VISIT’s data,
t of a human
s were brought
re
before and were suspected of being par
vealed that two of the migrants had illegally entered
trafficking organization. The two smuggler
ashore for prosecution along with two witnesses who will
s. Since the Coast Guard testify against the smuggler
s mobile biometric services to
prosecutions of repeat
began using US-VISIT’
identify illegal migrants at sea,
off
migration has dropped by 75 percent in the area
enders have increased dramatically and illegal
y is being used. where the technolog
US-VISIT: Strengthening Security
Through Biometric Identification
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is charged with protecting
the United States from dangerous people. To meet this mission,
authorized frontline decision makers must be able to accurately
identify the people they encounter and assess whether they pose a
risk to the United States. DHS’s US-VISIT program provides biometric
identification and analysis services that enable the U.S. government to:
• Enhance the security of our citizens and visitors,
• Facilitate legitimate travel and trade,
• Ensure the integrity of our immigration system, and
• Protect the privacy of our visitors.
US-VISIT has strengthened the United States’ immigration and border
security capabilities to a level that simply did not exist before.
As we enhance the security of the United States with biometrics,
other countries are seeking to collaborate with US-VISIT as they
improve their immigration and border management systems. We are
working with these countries to share best practices and develop
standards that will improve security and facilitate travel worldwide.
Web Site:
For more information, visit the US-VISIT program Web site at
www.dhs.gov/us-visit.
Privacy Policy:
US-VISIT upholds the privacy of individuals while helping protect our national borders and
immigration system. Personal information collected by US-VISIT will be used only for the
purposes for which it was collected, unless specifically authorized or mandated by law.
Questions or concerns relating to personal information and the US-VISIT program may be
directed to US-VISIT Privacy Officer, US-VISIT Program, Department of Homeland Security,
Washington, DC 20528, or [email protected]v.
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