From: ae446@Freenet.carleton.ca (Nigel Allen) Newsgroups: alt.activism,rec.travel,alt.law-enforcement,alt.privacy,alt.visa.us Subject: INS Ready to Test INSPASS to Speed Inspections at Busiest Airports Message-ID: Date: 25 May 93 02:20:20 GMT Here is a press release from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. INS Ready to Test INSPASS to Speed Inspections at Busiest Airports To: National Desk Contact: Verne Jervis or Duke Austin of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 202-514-2648 WASHINGTON, May 24 -- The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has installed a new system at New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport and the Newark International Airport in New Jersey to test the use of biometric technology to speed inspections of frequent travelers. The INS will hold a public demonstration of this system, called the INS Passenger Accelerated Service System (INSPASS), at the Newark airport, International Terminal B, today (May 24), at 10 a.m. INSPASS is the latest in the series of efforts by the INS to facilitate inspections and reduce delays for passengers of international flights. It combines an enrollment procedure with a biometric imaging device to record a person's hand geometry as a means of positive identification. Travelers who apply will be interviewed in person and have their hand geometry electronically recorded. Approved applicants will receive an INSPASS card, which resembles a credit card. When they arrive at an airport equipped for INSPASS, they can insert this card into a card reader while they place their right hand, palm down, on the hand geometry reader at designated inspection booths. Travelers whose hand geometry matches the data recorded on the INSPASS can pass through inspection in a fraction of the time it normally takes, unless otherwise questioned by inspectors on duty. INSPASS is meant to be used by frequent travelers who come to the United States through the busiest ports. INS will test the system at JFK and Newark for 6 months, during which time eligible travelers may participate free of charge by applying at one of the enrollment centers in either airport. Participation in the program is voluntary and open to citizens of the United States and of these nations (as designated under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program): Andorra Finland Liechtenstein San Marino Austria France Luxembourg Spain Belgium Germany Monaco Sweden Bermuda Iceland Netherlands Switzerland Canada Italy New Zealand United Kingdom Denmark Japan Norway -30- -- Nigel Allen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ae446@freenet.carleton.ca