Visas

1. Q: Why are you collecting fingerprints for visa applicants?  
   
   A: U.S. law requires that we collect biometric identifiers from all visa applicants by October 26, 2004.  The Department of State selected photographs and scanned fingerprints as the most effective and least intrusive biometric identifiers.
2. Q: How will you take fingerprints

   A: We will scan the two index fingerprints of each applicant using an electronic scanner.  No ink is used and the process only takes seconds.

3. Q: Who will be finger scanned? 
   
   A: All nonimmigrant visa applicants will be finger scanned except those in the following categories:
   
   
   • Children under 14 years old
   • Adults over 79 years old
   • Most official and international organization visa applicants.  Note that bearers of diplomatic and official passports applying for visas in visa categories other than for official travel must be finger scanned.  
4. Q:  How will fingerprint scanning affect the visa application procedure?
   
   A: The interviewing consular officer will scan in and capture the applicant's fingerprints during their nonimmigrant visa interview.  We hope to continue processing visas the same day as an applicant's visa interview.  In most cases, applicants should expect to receive their visas after two business days.
   
5. Q: Will you provide these fingerprints to any other government?
   
   A: The Department of State has made no agreement to provide fingerprints from visa applicants to any other government.
   
6. Q: What happens if a visa applicant refuses to be fingerprinted? 
   
   A: We would refuse his or her application as incomplete.  However, an applicant who then later decided to provide fingerprints would have their visa application considered without prejudice. 
7. Q: Will current visa holders need to come to the consular section to have their fingers scanned? 
   
   A: No. All current visa holders will have their fingers scanned when