Clarifying U.S. exit requirements for non-U.S. travelers

Here is a clarification about the exit requirements of non-U.S., or international, visitors to the United States:

When leaving the United States, international visitors should return their paper Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) or Form I-94W to an airline or ship representative. By returning the form, international visitors have completed the U.S. entry-exit process.

From 28 May to 2 July 2009, DHS conducted a test of biometric exit procedures at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. If an international visitor provided fingerprints when entering the United States and departed the United States from one of these two airports, he or she may have been required to provide fingerprints to DHS personnel in addition to submitting his or her Form I-94 or I-94W.

In the future, all international visitors who provide biometrics when entering the United States will be required to provide biometrics when departing the United States. Deployment is expected to begin in 2010. Visitors will be notified about the new requirements before they take effect.

US-VISIT provides biometric identification and analysis services to federal, state, and local agencies. Most international visitors between the ages of 14 and 79 who hold a non-U.S. passport or visa and apply to enter the United States experience US-VISIT procedures — the collection of digital fingerprints and a photograph. Department of State consular officers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers use US-VISIT’s biometric identification and analysis services to establish and verify international visitors’ identities in order to make visa-issuance and admission