China starts fingerprinting foreign visitors
BEIJING China will begin taking fingerprints of foreign visitors as it steps up security on its borders, its Ministry of Public Security said yesterday.
The regulation will be introduced at Shenzhen airport in the south from today, and will be gradually rolled out at other entry points around the country, the ministry said in a statement.
All foreign passport holders aged 14 to 70 will have to give their fingerprints, it said, without elaborating if other biometric data would also be collected.
It said this would strengthen immigration controls and increase efficiency.
Japan, Taiwan and Cambodia, among others, have similar requirements.
Most visitors need a visa to enter China, though many cities have visa-free deals for visits of a few days to boost tourism. - REUTERS
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