Beginning Dec. 17, Australia will require visa applicants in Cambodia to provide biometrics along with their applications.

Cambodians wishing to travel to Australia will need to submit their visa application in person at the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh and provide two forms of biometrics: a facial image and a 10-digit fingerprint scan. These biometrics will be captured with a digital camera and a digital finger scanner. The images and scans will be stored in secure departmental databases accessible only by authorized officers.

Australia has added biometric identification to better protect clients from identity fraud, make travel to Australia safer, strengthen its border security and improve national security.

Australia plans to implement this system in other countries as well.