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U.S. Green Cards and Visa Holders to Face Photographing Vetting From December

U.S. Green Cards and Visa Holders to Face Photographing Vetting From December

The United States administration is about to implement photographic vetting of all non-citizens when they enter or exit the United States. In support of this implementation, the authority has cited advances in facial recognition technology that can detect illegal activities swiftly and with increased precision.

As per the official documents in the Federal Register, the US Customs and Border Protection will implement photography and biometric checks at land borders, seaports, and airports from the upcoming month of December. This vetting will extend to all non-citizens of the U.S., including green card holders living in the country.

As one of the leading EB-1A experts in the industry, we are continuously monitoring the visa landscape and sharing our comprehensive breakdowns about these developments. As always, here is our clear breakdown of this new update as always.

Why is this update significant?

This rule first surfaced in 2021. Now it has returned triumphantly as part of the Trump administration’s push for stricter border enforcement. The administration also planned to conduct a closer tracking of the departures. This will help USCIS prevent people who are abusing the system and overstaying their visas. CBP, aka US Customs and Border Protection, has asserted that this implementation can add an additional layer of screening in detecting fraudulent practices and conducting identity checks.

What is about to change?

The policy is going to be effective from December 26, 2025. You can expect the following major changes:

  • Photographing the non-citizens at all departure points in the U.S.
  • Collecting biometric data for increased vetting
  • The facial recognition scan will expand to children under 14 and adults over 79
  • Matching the new photos with the older and already existing images in the government systems.

Here is something interesting and noteworthy that CBP already collects fingerprints and photos from all the travelers entering the country. Now, the similar surveillance will also extend to those exiting the nation.

The statement of CBP

According to several news outlets, CBP has commented on this rigorous vetting in its filing, in the following terms:

“Implementing an integrated biometric entry-exit system that compares biometric data of aliens collected upon arrival with biometric data collected upon departure helps address the national security concerns arising from the threat of terrorism, the fraudulent use of legitimate travel documentation, aliens who remain in the United States beyond their period of authorized stay (overstays) or are present in the United States without being admitted or paroled, as well as incorrect or incomplete biographic data for travellers”

To summarise, the CBP has essentially cited a range of security issues to explain the new measures.

Consequently, all visa holders are likely to witness increased scrutiny, and they should be extra cautious to follow all the official steps. If you need any personalized suggestions or help from our EB-1A green card consultancy, don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly. We always love to discuss and break down the immigration policies for you in detail.

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