US Waiver for Canadians

This is an exert for a document detailing the TECS system. This reference may help individuals better understand the process and systems by which assessments are made when attempting to enter the US. The TECS (not an acronym) System is the updated and modified version of the former Treasury Enforcement Communications System. TECS is owned and managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) component  United States (U.S.)  Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  TECS is both an information-sharing platform, which allows users to access different databases that may be maintained on the platform or accessed through the platform, and the name of a system of records that include temporary and permanent enforcement, inspection, and operational records relevant to the antiterrorism and law enforcement mission of CBP and numerous other federal agencies that it supports. How TECS is utilized: Individuals traveling to the US are requir...

Interesting news which may potentially effect I-194 waiver recipients down the line: As part of a new initiative, non-U.S. citizens leaving the United States from Detroit and Atlanta airports should expect to have their biometrics collected before boarding their flights. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will collect biometrics at the boarding gate from non-U.S. citizens departing from Detroit ; U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers will collect biometrics at security checkpoints from non-U.S. citizens departing from Atlanta . These pilot projects are expected to continue through early July. Non-U.S. citizens departing the United States from all other ports of entry will continue to follow current exit procedures, which require travelers to return their paper Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) or Form I-94W (for Visa Waiver Program travelers) to an airline or ship representative. Read the complete article: DHS Begins Test of Biometric Exit Pro...

First: Happy New Year! Second: I stumbled upon this news clip... The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in mid-December that it is expanding the categories of non-U.S. citizens required to provide digital fingerprints and a photograph upon entry to the United States. Additional non-U.S. citizens required to provide biometrics include: Lawful permanent residents of the United States (LPRs); Persons entering the United States who seek admission on immigrant visas; and Canadian citizens who are currently required to obtain a Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Document upon entry or require a waiver of inadmissibility to enter the United States. Linking a person’s biometric information to his or her travel documents reduces the risk that a traveler’s identity or documents could be intentionally misused by someone attempting to gain entry into the United States, DHS said in a statement. Biometric collection requirements apply to most non-U.S. citizens, with limited exemptions, e...