Face scans and biometric checks are expanding to replace passports for international air travel in the United States, with eligibility varying by citizenship.

Since 2017, biometric processing has identified millions of people, including more than half a million overstays, and roughly 848 million travelers have passed through the system.

The biometric program traces back to a 1996 congressional mandate, sharpened after 9/11, with recent funding boosts to accelerate deployment.

A new baggage-screening system will let officers review checked bags remotely midflight, with a pilot planned for JFK Terminal One in 2027.

CBP aims to deploy fully touchless biometric processing across all airports, seaports, and land crossings within three to five years, with pilots like corridors already tested at locations such as Orlando International Airport.

Biometric data collected at entry and exit is crosschecked against a government database of passport, visa, and travel document images, with claimed matching accuracy above 98%.

Airlines and airports fund the biometric exit equipment, supporting a staggered rollout across locations.

Non-U.S. travelers must undergo biometric identity checks on arrival and departure, including for children under 17 and adults over 79, under the new rule.

U.S. citizens may opt out of biometric processing by requesting a manual CBP check, but foreign travelers largely cannot opt out under a federal rule that took effect December 2025.