The Department of Homeland Security on Monday published its much-anticipated Final Rule, “Collection of Biometric Data from Aliens Upon Entry to and Departure from the United States,” cementing facial-recognition scans—and, eventually, iris and fingerprint capture—at every U.S. port of entry. Effective December 26, 2025, the regulation eliminates long-standing exemptions for diplomats, most Canadian travelers and children under 14, bringing virtually every non-U.S. citizen—tourists, students, temporary workers and green-card holders—into the biometric net.
CBP officers will photograph each traveler and compare the live image with government databases in seconds, while exit gates will record departures to tighten overstay tracking. DHS says the rule closes security gaps that have persisted since the post-9/11 entry-exit mandate, but privacy advocates are already preparing litigation over data-retention periods of up to 75 years for non-citizens.
![DHS Final Rule Makes Biometric Entry-Exit Mandatory for All Non-Citizens]()
From a mobility standpoint, multinationals must brief assignees and short-term business travelers on the consequences of refusal: failure to comply can mean denied boarding, refused admission or cancellation of immigration benefits. Companies with large cross-border workforces—particularly along the U.S.–Canada and U.S.–Mexico corridors—should expect longer primary-inspection queues during the first quarter of rollout and budget extra transit time for high-volume travel weeks.
Airports and seaports with e-gates will see minimal disruption, but land-border crossings may initially rely on mobile camera units, raising concerns about traffic backups. DHS is accepting public comments through November 26, yet officials emphasize that only technical, not substantive, changes are likely before implementation.
CBP officers will photograph each traveler and compare the live image with government databases in seconds, while exit gates will record departures to tighten overstay tracking. DHS says the rule closes security gaps that have persisted since the post-9/11 entry-exit mandate, but privacy advocates are already preparing litigation over data-retention periods of up to 75 years for non-citizens.
From a mobility standpoint, multinationals must brief assignees and short-term business travelers on the consequences of refusal: failure to comply can mean denied boarding, refused admission or cancellation of immigration benefits. Companies with large cross-border workforces—particularly along the U.S.–Canada and U.S.–Mexico corridors—should expect longer primary-inspection queues during the first quarter of rollout and budget extra transit time for high-volume travel weeks.
Airports and seaports with e-gates will see minimal disruption, but land-border crossings may initially rely on mobile camera units, raising concerns about traffic backups. DHS is accepting public comments through November 26, yet officials emphasize that only technical, not substantive, changes are likely before implementation.
