IDENTITY VERIFICATION PROBLEMS AT CBP
A failed facial comparison does not automatically mean CBP believes the traveler committed fraud or is inadmissible. CBP’s Simplified Arrival process provides additional document-based identity verification when the system cannot establish a biometric match.
CBP’s current Simplified Arrival privacy materials expressly describe a process for situations in which facial comparison does not produce a match.
A biometric no-match is an identity-verification event, not by itself a legal finding that the passport is fraudulent or that the traveler is inadmissible.
When Simplified Arrival does not produce a facial match, CBP can scan the traveler’s travel document and retrieve the biographic information from the passport or other qualifying document.
CBP describes a process in which the live photograph is compared directly with the photograph stored on the electronic travel document chip. CBP refers to this as one-to-one verification.
If automated processing cannot verify the traveler or additional information requires review, the traveler can be directed to an officer for traditional inspection or further processing.
If manual review shows that the person is not the true bearer of the passport, that the passport is altered or that another identity problem exists, CBP can investigate the issue under its immigration and law-enforcement authority.
The important distinction is between a technology no-match and evidence that the traveler actually presented a false or fraudulent identity document.
If an identity issue resulted in secondary inspection, visa cancellation, withdrawal or removal, obtain the inspection record rather than assuming the biometric system itself was the ultimate reason for the action.
No. CBP has alternative document and manual verification procedures for biometric no-matches.
CBP can scan the travel document, compare the live image with the document-chip photograph and use traditional inspection procedures.
It can result in additional identity review, and CBP retains authority to refer a traveler for secondary inspection when further examination is needed.
The CBP inspection record can show whether the incident ended with ordinary manual verification or developed into a document, fraud or admissibility investigation.