US tightens screening of Canadians with visas

I can still remember the bad old days of the Evil Empire when Big Brother in the USSR used to require identity cards and watch over its citizens. Well the old Soviet watching over their citizens was miniscule compared with the freedom loving individual rights protecting western democracies.Surveillance of citizens since the war on terror has mushroomed as well as surveillance of visitors. Not only must we have several identity cards but if we are visiting on a visa now we must be fingerprinted if we are to visit the great bastion of democracy and great shopping Mall for Canadians the US of A. Now they want all our digits for visa holders. I haven't heard that Canada requires the same of US visitors.


U.S. tightens screening of Canadians with visas
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 | 1:03 PM ET
CBC News
Canadians entering the United States with visas will have to scan 10 digits rather than just two under a newly expanded security program launching later in November.

Under the current US-VISIT program, Canadians and others entering the United States on visas must scan both index fingers and have a digital photograph taken by a border official.

Canadians engaged to marry U.S. citizens must also go through the process, and the U.S. has announced that Canadian students and nurses working in the U.S. will also be subject to the screening.

Washington now plans to install a new line of 10-fingerprint scanners at all 311 Canada-U.S. ports of entry by the end of 2008.

The stepped-up biometrics measures begin Nov. 29 at Washington's Dulles International Airport.

In a briefing Tuesday in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the US-VISIT program affects as many as 10,000 Canadians.