US-VISIT Exit Pilot Expands to Newark Airport
Posted Jan 28, 2005
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an expansion of the exit portion of the U.S. Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology Program (US-VISIT). As of January 19, 2005, the pilot program of the exit procedures will expand to Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey. The exit pilot has been underway for several months - longer at some ports, including the Baltimore / Washington International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and the seaport of Miami International Cruise Line Terminal. It will expand to three more airports by the end of January 2005. The new airports are Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (San Juan, Puerto Rico), San Francisco International Airport (San Francisco, California), and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Detroit, Michigan).
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US-VISIT entry procedures have been in place for just over a year, and include inkless finger scans and digital photographs upon entry to the United States. More detail on these is included in our January 9, 2004 MurthyBulletin article, US-Visit Underway, available on MurthyDotCom.
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The exit procedures are still in the pilot phase, but the number of ports where they are being implemented has been expanding. The exit procedures being tested at Newark, New Jersey, involve three possible alternatives. The first requires that foreign nationals use exit stations when departing the U.S. The exit stations take finger scans and digital photos, as well as read the travel documents. A printed receipt is issued by the exit station. The second alternative uses the exit station along with a verification step at the departure gate. The foreign national must present the receipt from the exit station at the departure gate. The receipt is scanned and returned to the foreign national. The third alternative is a biometric checkout using a hand-held device at the departure gate. In this scenario, the foreign national also receives a printed confirmation receipt.
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Although none of these systems should be complex or time consuming, travelers through the airports with the exit procedures should allow a bit more time. As with any new system, there may be delays or problems at first. On a recent visit to Baltimore / Washington International Airport, an attorney from The Law Office of Sheela Murthy noted that the US-VISIT exit kiosk signs were posted clearly and prominently. The kiosks had instructions that appeared to be simple and straightforward. This notwithstanding, it is easy to inadvertently miss complying with the exit procedures, which could adversely impact one's future immigration to the United States.

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