Forget drop box, fingerprints must from next month

The US Embassy and American consulate generals in Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata today decided to end the ‘‘drop box’’ faci...

The US Embassy and American consulate generals in Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata today decided to end the ‘‘drop box’’ facility for visa applicants following the move to collect their fingerprint impressions from July.

Beginning next month, US consular sections in India will start collecting fingerprint impressions from all visa applicants, except those travelling on official government business or who are under 14 or over 79 years, it added. At the time of the visa interview, applicants will be asked to electronically scan the index (second) finger of each hand.

The fingerprint data will be compared with fingerprint scans at the US port of entry to prevent the use of US visas by impostors and by those wanted for more serious offences.

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‘‘This programme is not targeted at any country or region,’’ it added, saying US visa offices in Frankfurt, Brussels, San Salvador and Guatemala were the first posts to begin this programme in September.

All the US visa issuing posts will collect fingerprint data by October 26, complementing the US-visit programme in which nearly all visitors have their fingerprints and photographs taken at the airport on arrival in the US.

The last day to submit applications through the drop-box in Delhi is June 30. The release said that visa applicants must make an appointment for the visa interview and fingerprint collection.