The US-Visit system (also known as the US-Visit program or the US Visit Program) is a biometric system used at US entry points in order to verify identities and in order to prevent terrorists and other criminals from entering the country. In fact, the program has been called the world’s largest biometric system. The US-Visit system is present at ports of entry and posts issuing US visas. The program collects and verifies photos as well as digital fingerprints to confirm the identities of those who seek admittance to the US. There are many ways that the US-Visit system keeps our borders secure:
1) The US-Visit system makes it easier and more convenient to check identities, making it more effective in use. The US-Visit system collects information, so that authorities have this information in place. The program makes it easier, faster, and more convenient to check identities. This allows authorities at border crossings to process visas and visitors more efficiently while also focusing more on the identities and less on a clunky system.
2) The US-Visit program collects information that lets USCIS and border officials make better decisions about who to admit to the US and who to issue a visa to. By collecting identity and biographic information, the US-Visit program makes it easier for authorities to make good visa and admission decisions. Authorities can use the program to see quickly whether someone is eligible to enter the country or to apply for a visa.
3) The US-Visit system prevents identity fraud. In the past, some terrorists have been able to enter the country by using a falsified identity and passport. The US-Visit system makes this much more difficult since the program uses digitized fingerprints – which cannot easily be falsified – as well as photos to verify identity.
4) The US-Visit program helps authorities target those who have stayed in the US beyond the limits of their visa. The program makes it easier to track those who have stayed beyond their approved period of admission. The program gives USCIS and border authorities all the information they need to find those who have overstayed their visa or admission period.
By collecting information and making the information easier for USCIS and border authorities to use in the field, the US-Visit program makes our country and our borders safer by ensuring that only those who are qualified get visas or admission to the US. As technology improves, the US-Visit system may start to use more advanced methods of identification, making the borders even safer.