Posted August. 18, 2004 21:53,
Starting August 23, any potential applicant for U.S. visas should register his or her fingerprints as a mandatory measure. Also, those who are admitted to the United States, even with valid visas, have to re-register their fingerprints at international airports and harbors.
In addition, those under 13 or over 80, who are exempted from the registration for visa applications, need to go through fingerprint registration process when they enter the country.
U.S. Consul General Bernard Alter of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul revealed the U.S. plans at a press conference held on August 18 at the embassy. The fingerprint registration process is part of a U.S. measure to enhance U.S. border security after 9/11, he said. Not only do you apply for a visa for the initial time, but also when you renew it, you still need to register your fingerprints. In accordance with the new policies, applicants applying for new non-immigrant visas (NIV), including student visas and visitor visas, must apply by interview through the Visa Information Web Services at https://www.us-visaservices.com and visit the embassy on their scheduled date to register their fingerprints and family information and to attend the interview.
Since visa procedures will include the fingerprint registration, an additional 23 personnel, including nine Americans and 14 Koreans, will work in visa services in order to issue visas within five days after each visa interview, the U.S. consul general assured. The non-immigrant visa issue rate in Seoul is about 95 percent. I dont think the rate will decline even though the new policy was introduced.
Some make the point that if the information on applicants whose visas got rejected would be reserved perpetually in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it would be highly likely that their human rights could be threatened.