Irish citizens will be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival into America from October this year as part of a security crackdown.
The policy, to begin at airports and seaports by September 30st and at the 50 busiest US land crossing by the end of the year, extends a program that started January 5th under which everyone who comes to the United States on a visa - except diplomats - is fingerprinted and photographed on arrival.
Citizens from 27 of America's closest allies, including Britain, Japan and Australia, will now be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival.
US officials said the move was needed to prevent attacks like those of September 11th, 2001 and reflected the expectation that the 27 "Visa Waiver" nations will miss an October 26th deadline to begin issuing passports with biometric data like fingerprints.
The Bush administration said it had asked the US Congress for a two-year extension to the deadline and said that its decision to fingerprint and photograph even the visitors who do not need visas was designed to close a loophole.
"We believe that an extension ... will avoid potential disruption to international travel and at the same time (requiring the fingerprints and photographs) will help mitigate the security concerns related to extending the deadline," US State Department spokesman Mr Adam Ereli told reporters last night.
"It will add security by allowing us to check against our terrorist criminal watchlist those foreign visitors who are traveling from Visa Waiver Program countries," said Homeland Security Department Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson.
The 27 countries affected are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Citizens from these countries, which include some of the closest US allies whose governments backed the invasion of Iraq, are generally permitted to visit the United States without a visa for up to 90 days for pleasure or business.