12/27/2025
U.S. to Launch Mandatory Biometric Screening for All Non‑Citizens Beginning December 2025
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing to implement one of the most sweeping changes to its border screening procedures in decades. Beginning December 26, 2025, all non‑U.S. citizens entering or leaving the country will be required to undergo biometric screening, primarily through facial recognition technology. The new rule eliminates long‑standing exemptions for Canadians, diplomats, and several other traveler categories, marking a significant expansion of federal biometric collection.
The rule applies to every class of non‑citizen traveler, including lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders), employment‑based visa categories such as H‑1B, H‑2A, H‑2B, L‑1, O‑1, and E‑visa holders, as well as students on F‑1 and M‑1 visas, exchange visitors on J‑1 visas, tourists and business travelers on B‑1/B‑2 visas, and all other temporary or long‑term immigration classifications.
Under the policy, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be authorized to capture biometric data at every air, land, and sea port of entry. Travelers will be photographed as part of the standard inspection process, and officers may request additional biometrics such as fingerprints when necessary. The system is designed to verify identities, detect fraud, and more accurately track entries and departures.
The shift reflects DHS’s broader move toward a fully integrated biometric infrastructure. Facial recognition will serve as the primary tool, with images compared against federal databases to confirm traveler identities. The forthcoming Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) system will play a central role, storing both biometric and biographic information to support immigration, law enforcement, and national security operations.
For travelers, the new requirements mean biometric participation will be mandatory. Those who prefer not to be photographed may request to opt out, but doing so will trigger a manual passport inspection, which may take longer. The end of exemptions for most Canadian travelers and other previously excused groups is expected to reshape cross‑border routines, particularly at high‑traffic land ports.
The biometric expansion extends beyond ports of entry. DHS has also proposed a separate rule that would significantly broaden biometric collection for immigration benefits. Under that proposal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would require photographs, fingerprints, and in some cases DNA samples from all applicants, including U.S. citizens connected to an application. Individuals of any age could be required to appear at an Application Support Center for processing.
With the December 26, 2025 implementation date approaching, DHS is positioning biometrics as a cornerstone of future border management and immigration verification. The new system represents a major technological and procedural shift that will affect millions of travelers and applicants each year.