Israel joins American biometric traveler program
07 February, 2011
category: Biometrics, Government
Select Israeli citizens deemed to not be a threat to American homeland security and willing to submit biometric and biographical data will be allowed to partake in the U.S. expedited traveler security clearance program Global Entry, according to a Ynet News article.
The decision, which was made jointly by the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for the Private Sector, makes Israel only the second country to be included in the program with the Netherlands being the first.
Some officials believe this is a step towards an eventual cancellation of the U.S. visa requirements for Israeli citizens. While the criteria for which citizens will be allowed to partake in the pilot program will be handled by the U.S. and have not been divulged, it is expected that hundreds of Israeli citizens will initially qualify for the program.
Read the full story here.