Washington on Sunday began advising Egyptians traveling to the US they may be finger-printed, photographed and questioned on their US arrival for reasons of national security.
Thus far, the program requiring registration of foreign visitors included those from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Libya - the countries listed by the State Department as state sponsors of terrorism. According to an Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) memo obtained by The Associated Press earlier this week, the program was expanded to include men ages 16 to 45 from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen, starting October 1.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Cairo said in a press release "the new system will require the digital fingerprinting and photographing of selected (Egyptian) travelers upon arrival in the United States, as well as responses to questions posed by immigration officials."
According to the INS September 5 memo, registration is required on arrival to and departure from the United States. The foreigners also must be interviewed at an INS office for stays of over 30 days and notify the INS within 10 days of any change of residence, employment or academic institution.
The memo further says immigration inspectors also can register visitors for national security reasons. The memo adds that inspectors ought to consider whether the visitor has made an unexplained trip to Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, North Korea, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, Somalia, Pakistan, Indonesia or Malaysia or the visitor's explanation for the trip lacks credibility.
Amongst other things, inspectors will be told to consider registering foreign visitors who previously overstayed a U.S. visa or whose behavior, demeanor or answers indicate that the person may be a security threat, the memo also says. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
