December 26, 2025 — A DHS final rule expanding US Customs and Border Protection’s facial-biometric entry/exit program to all foreign travelers took effect at every US airport, seaport and land crossing.
What happened
The rule authorizes CBP to collect facial biometrics from non-citizens on both entry and exit, extending collection to new departure modes including sea exit, private aircraft, vehicle crossings and pedestrian exit. It also removed prior exemptions for children under 14, adults over 79, and most Canadian and diplomatic travelers. CBP said full implementation across all commercial airports and seaports would take an additional three to five years, while separately piloting opt-in biometric e-gates for US citizens.
Why it matters
This is one of the largest expansions of mandatory biometric data collection at US borders to date, meaningfully broadening the population and travel scenarios subject to facial-recognition screening compared with the program’s earlier, narrower entry-focused scope.
Security and infrastructure impact
Airports, seaports and land-border facilities implementing the expanded program need updated e-gate hardware, network capacity and data-handling procedures, while the removal of prior age-based exemptions raises fresh questions about biometric data collection from populations previously excluded.
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