fingerprinted and photo taken on USA re-entry with green card

[Keigwyn 1]

I travel regularly our of the US and went to Canada under the Bush administration (mon 1/19) and returned under the Obama administration (1/23). For the first time since I got a green card I got fingerprinted and a photo taken. The immigration officer told me not to look so puzzled - 'new regulations'. I told him I hadn't had this done since I got the green card and he laughed and said 'I know, more work for us too...go figure'.

I have not seen notification of this anywhere.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Finally heard the answer to your situation. Apparently there was a new directive from DHS that came into effect January 19th and requires fingerprinting of PRs who are sent into secondary at border crossings. Well, some of the border guards at the US side of the Canadian border have been overly officious and fingerprinting EVERY PR, not just the ones sent into secondary, causing massive backlogs. This has especially affected cross-border workers who contacted their members of Government for help. The guidelines have apparently been clarified now for those overly officious border guards and shouldn't be a hassle anymore. Only those who appear suspicious will be sent into secondary - as is usual - and then they will have biometrics done. Non-suspicious PRs will be allowed to enter without biometrics.

Here is an article from one of the newspapers of a border city affected, plus the actual DHS fact sheet. Hope this helps (I can't take credit for finding out this information, btw - someone else in the Canada forum found it out and I am just passing it on here).

http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/full_...oryNumber=37336

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/programs/gc_1231972592442.shtm

Edited January 31, 2009 by Kathryn41