What biometric data does US Customs and Border Protection collect from travelers?
Executive summary
The Department of Homeland Security’s final rule, effective December 26, 2025, authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to require that all non‑U.S. citizens be photographed on entry and exit and allows CBP to require “other biometrics” such as fingerprints from non‑exempt travelers [1] [2]. The rule removes prior pilot/port limits and enables biometric collection at airports, land ports, seaports and “other authorized points of departure,” with a phased nationwide rollout anticipated over several years [1] [3].
1. What the rule explicitly permits: facial photos as primary biometric
The final regulation amends DHS rules to permit CBP to photograph all noncitizens entering and departing the United States; the agency and many news summaries present facial photographs and facial‑comparison systems as the core tool being expanded [2] [4]. Federal Register language makes clear DHS “may require all aliens to be photographed when entering or exiting the United States,” and CBP already uses facial comparison at many ports under programs like Simplified Arrival and Facial Biometric Debarkation [1] [5].
2. “Other biometrics” and fingerprints: permitted but context matters
The rule states DHS “may require non‑exempt aliens to provide other biometrics,” and multiple reporting outlets describe fingerprints being part of the expanded authority; local reporting at border bridges specifically lists both photographs and fingerprints as what CBP will gather in practice [1] [6] [7]. The Federal Register explicitly allows collection of other biometrics beyond photographs, but it does not enumerate a fixed, exhaustive list in the summary language provided by these sources [1].
3. Scope and who is affected: non‑citizens broadly included
The rule applies to “aliens” — the regulatory term for non‑U.S. citizens — and reporting notes that exemptions that previously applied to some groups (for example certain diplomatic or Canadian traveler practices under pilots) are being removed or narrowed as the program scales nationwide [8] [4]. Several outlets say the collection will include permanent residents and seasonal workers; local reports warned children and frequent crossers may also face biometric checks [6] [7].
4. Where and when: ports expanded, phased rollout expected
DHS and CBP removed prior limits on pilot programs and ports, authorizing biometric collection at airports, land ports, seaports and “other authorized points of departure,” effective December 26, 2025; reporting indicates a phased national rollout over 3–5 years for full deployment [1] [3] [2]. News outlets covering the border note CBP planned to begin collecting at international bridges and other land crossings starting that effective date [7] [6].
5. Purpose and government framing: identity verification and overstay tracking
DHS frames the change as fulfilling a longstanding Congressional mandate to implement automated biometric entry/exit and to improve identity verification, detect document fraud, and better track visa overstays; the Federal Register and stakeholder summaries make these enforcement and fraud‑prevention goals explicit [5] [9]. Supporters such as the Center for Immigration Studies publicly backed the rule as enabling a comprehensive automatic entry/exit matching system [10].
6. Public comment, legal and operational caveats
Although the rule is final, DHS solicited public comments on implementation details — including collection processes and costs/benefits for new transportation modalities — indicating operational specifics (how and when fingerprints, iris scans or other modalities would be collected) were left to later notices and implementation plans [1] [5]. Sources note CBP will publish further Federal Register notices and rollouts for maritime, vehicle and pedestrian environments [4] [1].
7. What available sources do not mention
Available sources do not provide a complete, itemized list of every biometric type DHS will collect in every circumstance (for example whether iris scans or DNA are formally authorized in the final text beyond “other biometrics”) nor do they supply the full technical or retention policies in the excerpts provided here; those operational and privacy‑management specifics are not detailed in the summaries provided [1] [5].
8. Competing perspectives and risks flagged in reporting
Implementation advocates emphasize security gains and fraud reduction; critics and local reporters highlight practical risks like longer wait times at busy crossings and legal concerns if travelers refuse biometric capture — some outlets warn refusal could have serious consequences for noncitizens [9] [7] [6]. Comment solicitations and phased rollouts signal DHS anticipates operational tradeoffs and stakeholder pushback as details are worked out [1] [3].
Conclusion — what to watch next
Watch follow‑on Federal Register notices and CBP implementation guidance for precise lists of biometric modalities, retention and matching practices, and exemption rules; the current rule establishes broad authority for photographs and “other biometrics” but leaves many operational specifics to subsequent implementation and public comment [1] [5].