I wouldn’t trust my own government with my fingerprints and my photograph, let alone the US government. I understand the security risks facing the US, but what use is it to take the photographs and fingerprints of UK nationals travelling there?
How will fingerprints and photographs eliminate passport fraud or increase security? How is it that normal visitors are to be treated like criminals upon arrival to the US?
All the US will have is a large database of British nationals’ fingerprints and photographs, all termed as “personal samples” and only required under UK law in Britain if you are charged with an offence.
Personally, I think this move is utterly disgusting and a violation of privacy. Outrage.
No. Having a gloved hand enter your butt cavity is a violation of personal privacy. Just be thankful you don’t need to pass a spelling test to get into the U.S.
I wish the Taiwanese authorities could treat me as “badly” as the U.S. treats foreigners. I’m off to Renai Hospital tomorrow morning for a health check. :fume:
For many it is a necessity of business, for others holidays etc, but whatever the reasons for going, this form of treatment is abysmal and just highlights the usual OTT reaction of the US to its problems.
It is just a shame that more countries did not follow Brazil’s lead and introduce the same measures for US citizens travelling abroad.
I have to wonder how long it will be before the pathetic excuse of an intelligence community in the US uses this data to falsely accuse someone of a crime.
OH dear. 10 seconds required to take fingerprints if the passport does not already contain this biometrics data. In fact, most nations are going to have this biometrics data required so how is the US being OTT? Typical OTT reaction which some might call America bashing, but then how could that be possible right? I mean America is far worse than Syria, Libya etc. Anyone been to Germany recently? Talk about OTT. Try talking to the immigration police there sometime. Hah!
German? Excuse me, I never had to give my fingerprints on entry to Germany and any other country I’ve ever been to and I’m not going to do so, even if this means I will never go to the US again for the rest of my life.
Was there recently, but coming from a decent country, i do not have to worry about immigration in germany. Perhaps someone other than Brazil is giving US travellers a hard time, if so then about time.
Do unto others and you would expect do to do unto you.
Ask anyone from the Third World who they would rather deal with American immigration or German. Just go ahead and ask. Wanna talk about doing unto others…
Time for that bubble bath again? Ah, America’s loss.
Traveller:
Ask anyone from the Third World who they would rather deal with American immigration or German. Just go ahead and ask. Wanna talk about doing unto others…[/quote]
Fred, fortunately, the last time i looked the UK was not in Africa, unless you have been remodelling the maps again.
At least make an attempt to stay on topic when trying to defend the undefendable.
I realize that Traveller but mentioned the UK only because I know you hail from that staunch ally of ours. Yet, even with glorious allies and true friends, sometimes you have to deal with the ugly relative. That’s how I will think of you. hee hee hee
Fred, then with reciprocity in mind, i shall be writing to my MEP to suggest that similar arrangements are introduced for US citizens travelling to europe.
Of course, special arrangements will be reserved for the current incumbent of the White House.
As the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens found out the accuracy of the information held by the database in Washington DC (and the literacy level of Customs people) is very important. My name has alternate spellings, if the database has an incorrect entry due to clerical error I suddenly have a problem and may have to spend hours (years?) trying to explain that I’m not a terrorist.
My wife still uses her maiden name and my kids have my surname: this causes great confusion at most customs posts. On entering Japan we were asked if I was my wife’s son(!) Entering the US in 1992 we had to explain that in 4th world countries like Australia married people can use their own names and can live in another country too!!! I think that this extra level of bureaucracy will only lead to pain and mistakes but will it lead to reduced risk for US citizens?
In the UK, fingerprints, DNA and a photgraph are taken if you are charged with a crime. If later you are found in court not to be guilty, those records are erased.
So why should the US hold files with the fingerprints and photographs of UK citizens that even the UK government, under law, is not allowed to have?
So I therefore assume that the US will delete fingerprints and photos upon visitors leaving the country? Of course not. The files will remain.
What concerns me further is what this huge database will be used for in the future and how this database can be used in any way to improve national security. Also, along with the run of the mill botch ups and overall American incompetency, how many wrongly accused and even wrongly convicted people are we going to see fall foul of this system?
Accurate fingerprint recognition is only valid up to about 3,000,000 people. The chances of somebody holding nearly identical prints becomes higher as the database expands. Although no prints are identical, human error and even computer error can be bought into the equasion.
So all the US will have is a huge database of private information which in no way can be used for US national security. I wonder what this database is really for.
Arse. Double post. Must be the work of Islamic Fundamentalists. Perhaps you should take my fingerprints incase I’m in someway using double posts to spread secret coded messages to terrorist organisations.
I think this is one thing the Americans have got right. If they had any wit they would extend it to their own citizens. But they would all be up in arms about their rights. Wasn’t the “shoe bomber” travelling on a British passport ?
