10-Fingerprint Scanners to Deploy at all Ports of Entry

The Department of Homeland Security plans to replace the current two-fingerprint scanners with new 10‑fingerprint scanners at all U.S. ports of entry in 2008.

The transition from collecting two digital fingerprints to collecting 10 fingerprints from international visitors is one of the department’s top priorities because it furthers the department's ability to keep dangerous people out of the United States, while making legitimate travel more efficient.

On November 29, 2007, Homeland Security began the initial transition at Washington Dulles International Airport. In early 2008, nine U.S. airports began to collect additional fingerprints from international visitors:

• Boston Logan International Airport (Boston, Mass.)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (Chicago, Ill.)
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Detroit, Mich.)
• Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, Ga.)
• George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
• Miami International Airport (Miami, Fla.)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York, N.Y.)
• Orlando International Airport (Orlando, Fla.)
• San Francisco International Airport. (San Francisco, Calif.)

The Department of State currently uses 10‑fingerprint scanners at most of its visa‑issuing posts and will complete deployment worldwide by the end of 2007.