Visa requirements for German citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Germany.
As of 9 January 2024, German citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 194 countries and territories. Ranking the German passport 1st in terms of travel freedom (tied with the passports of France, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain), and tied with the greatest access of all European Union member states along with France, Italy, and Spain, according to the Henley Passport Index.[1]
From December 2021, passengers of all countries that required visa, can now obtain visa on arrival at Bujumbura International Airport, and all land borders.[60]
e-Visa holders must arrive via 31 designated airports[Note 6] or 5 designated seaports.[Note 7][88]
An Indian e-Tourist Visa may only be obtained twice within 1 calendar year.[citation needed]
Foreigners of Pakistani origin or who hold a Pakistani Passport are not eligible for an e-Visa. Foreigners who are not Pakistani nationals, but whose parents or grandparents (either paternal or maternal) were born in, or were permanent residents in Pakistan, are also not eligible for an e-Visa.[89]
Former Indian citizens with an OCI (Overseas Citizen Of India) cards are eligible for unlimited travel and stay.[90]
Passengers who have already made an application, at least 2 days before arrival, at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affair's e-Visa website and present the submission notification at the airport's visa desk may obtain a visa on arrival.[93]
German citizens born before 1 January 1928 need a visa which will be issued for free if one was not a member of the Nazi party or involved in crimes committed during the time of Nazi Germany.[97]
Starting June 1st, 2024, the ETA-IL (Electronic Travel Authorisation) will open for application submissions as a pilot program for German and American citizens. Applying will be voluntary and exempt from fees. The system will open to other nationalities on July 1st, 2024.[98]
Visa can be obtained upon arrival, it will cost a total of 40 JOD, obtainable at most international ports of entry and land border crossings (except King Hussein/Allenby Bridge)
Granted free of charge at Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry if there is no Israeli visa or seal, holding a telephone number, an address in Lebanon, and a non-refundable return or circle trip ticket.[citation needed]
Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[126] Such travellers are not required to pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.[125]
Holders of written e-Visa approval issued by the Immigration Authority can obtain a visa on arrival, provided they hold a visa application form and e-Visa application payment receipt and have an invitation letter from a Nigerian company accepting immigration responsibilities.[128]
ESTA is valid for 2 years from the date of issuance.[166]
ESTA is also required when entering the country by cruise ship or land.[167]
Visa required if Nationals of VWP countries who have travelled or been present in Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen at any time on or after 1 March 2011 (with limited exceptions), or those who have travelled or being present in Cuba at any time on or after 12 January 2021, or nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Iraq, Syria, Iran, North Korea or Sudan.
Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours.[181] Permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[182]
A special permit required (25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[257]
With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[266]
People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving)[citation needed]
OVIR permit required, can be obtained with e-visa application for an additional $20. Locally it may be obtained for 15+5 Tajikistani Somoni. Another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[269][270][271]
Visa requirements for German citizens were lifted by China (1 December 2023),[274] Zambia (1 October 2022),[275] Oman (9 December 2020, previously visa on arrival),[7] Uzbekistan (15 January 2019),[8] Cape Verde (1 January 2019),[276] Belarus (February 2017),[277]
Solomon Islands (October 2016),[278]
Tuvalu (July 2016), Marshall Islands (June 2016),[13]
Palau (December 2015),[279]
Tonga (November 2015),[280]
São Tomé and Príncipe (August 2015),[16]
Vietnam (July 2015 – June 30, 2021 at least),[17]
Indonesia (June 2015),[281][282]
United Arab Emirates,
Timor-Leste,
Samoa (May 2015),[20][283][284][23]
Kazakhstan (July 2014),[285]
Mongolia (September 2013)[286] and
Kyrgyzstan (July 2012).[287]
German citizens were made eligible for eVisas by Russia (January 2021, suspended during COVID-19 pandemic, previously only Kaliningrad and Far East),[288] Guinea and Malawi (October 2019), Saudi Arabia (September 2019), Suriname and Pakistan (April 2019), Tanzania and Papua New Guinea (November 2018),[289] Angola (March 2018), Djibouti (February 2018),[290] Egypt (December 2017),[291] Azerbaijan (January 2017),[32] Tajikistan (June 2016),[292] India (e-Tourist visa from November 2014)[293] and Myanmar (September 2014).[294]
Certain countries and territories require travellers arriving from Germany to be vaccinated against specific diseases. This is a map of vaccination requirements for German citizens and residents arriving directly from the Schengen area, excluding those arriving from third countries.
Meningococcal vaccination requirements for international travel[295]
Country or territory
Details
Gambia
All travellers must show proof of vaccination with quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (ACYW135) upon arrival.[296]
Indonesia
Travellers arriving from or departing to Saudi Arabia must show proof of vaccination with quadrivalent ACYW-135.[297]
Lebanon
Proof of vaccination with quadrivalent ACYW-135 is required for travellers departing Lebanon and going to Hajj, Umrah, and to certain African countries.[298]
Libya
All travellers must show proof of vaccination with quadrivalent ACYW-135 upon arrival.[299]
Philippines
Proof of vaccination with quadrivalent ACYW-135 is required for travellers going to Hajj and Umrah (in Saudi Arabia).[300]
Saudi Arabia
Proof of vaccination is required for travellers 2 years of age and older who are Hajj or Umrah pilgrims and seasonal or pilgrim workers in Hajj and Umrah areas. Vaccination with quadrivalent ACYW135 (either polysaccharide or conjugate) must be issued not less than 10 days before arrival and not more than 3 years (polysaccharide vaccine) or 5 years (conjugate vaccine) before arrival. The immunisation certificate should clearly state if the traveller was vaccinated with the conjugate vaccine for the 5-year validity to apply.[301]
Vaccination is also required for domestic pilgrims, residents of Mecca and Medina, and any persons participating in Hajj or Umrah or seasonal or pilgrimage work in Hajj and Umrah zones. At the discretion of the Ministry of Health, travellers may be administered prophylactic antibiotics upon arrival.[301]
Polio vaccination requirements for international travel[295]
Country
Details
Afghanistan
Travellers from polio-endemic countries (Pakistan) need Carte Jaune proof of polio vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival. Residents and ALL travellers staying in Afghanistan longer than 4 weeks need proof of polio vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) when departing from Afghanistan.[295][302]
Belize
Travellers from Afghanistan and Pakistan need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival. Belize residents travelling countries with confirmed polio cases also need proof of vaccination.[303]
Brunei
Travellers from polio-exporting countries need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[304]
Egypt
Travellers from Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, China, Congo-Kinshasa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, and Somalia need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[305]
Georgia
Travellers from at-risk countries need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival. Travellers without proof are offered OPV vaccination upon arrival.[306]
India
Travellers from Afghanistan, Congo-Kinshasa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[307]
Iran
Travellers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival. Travellers without proof will be vaccinated upon arrival.[308]
Iraq
Travellers aged 15+ from Afghanistan and Pakistan need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival; children under age 15 must have received three doses of polio vaccine before travel. Travellers without proof will be vaccinated upon arrival. Travellers departing Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan must also provide proof of vaccination upon departure.[309]
Jordan
Travellers from Afghanistan and Pakistan need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[310]
Lebanon
Travellers from and to polio-affected countries need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[311]
Libya
Travellers from Afghanistan and Pakistan need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[312]
Maldives
Travellers from and to polio-exporting countries, as well as Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[313]
Morocco
Travellers from polio-affected countries need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[314]
Nepal
Travellers from Afghanistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[315]
Oman
Travellers from polio-exporting countries need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[316]
Pakistan
Travellers from ALL countries planning to stay in Pakistan for more than 4 weeks need Carte Jaune proof of OPV vaccination upon arrival. Residents and ALL travellers staying in Pakistan longer than 4 weeks need proof of OPV vaccination when departing from Pakistan.[295][317]
Philippines
Travellers from or to high-risk countries need Carte Jaune proof of polio vaccination upon arrival or before departure, respectively.[295] Due to an ongoing local VDPV2 outbreak, the government recommends all others travellers to consider getting a polio vaccine or booster dose, depending on their situation.[318]
Qatar
Travellers from polio-exporting countries (identified by Qatar as: Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Philippines) need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[319]
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Travellers from polio-endemic countries as identified by WHO (Afghanistan and Pakistan) need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[295][320]
Saudi Arabia
Travellers from active-transmission (including wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus) and at-risk countries, as well as all travellers from Afghanistan, Congo-Kinshasa, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival. Regardless of immunisation status, all travellers from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen will be given an Oral Polio Vaccine dose upon arrival.[321]
Seychelles
Travellers from countries with polio outbreaks need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival.[322]
Syria
Travellers from Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Pakistan need Carte Jaune proof of OPV or IPV vaccination (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure) upon arrival. ALL Syria residents departing Syria to any country also need proof of vaccination.[323]
Ukraine
Long-term visitors departing to states with wild or circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus transmission should present Carte Jaune proof of vaccination with at least one dose of bivalent OPV or IPV (received between 4 weeks and 12 months before departure). Persons obliged to undertake urgent international travel must be immunised with a single dose of polio vaccine before their departure.[295] There is also risk of poliovirus transmission inside Ukraine itself, and travellers to Ukraine are recommended to be up to date with their polio vaccination before entry.[324]
^ abcThe WHO has designated (parts of) Argentina, Brazil and Peru as risk countries, but these countries do not require incoming travellers to vaccinate against yellow fever.
^ abcdefghijklmnAlso required for travellers having transited any time through a risk country's airport.
COVID-19 vaccination
Many countries increasingly consider the vaccination status of travellers with regard to quarantine requirements or when deciding to allow them entry at all.[325] This is justified by research that shows that the Pfizer vaccine effect lasts for six months or so.[326]
United Kingdom (individuals with pre-settled or settled status or[177] frontier-worker permits can continue using national identity cards [329]
Blank passport pages
Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[330] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.
Passport validity length
Many countries require passports to be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival and one or two blank pages.[331]
Turkey usually requires passports to be valid for at least 5 months (150 days) upon entry, but for German citizens Turkish authorities allow to enter even with passport or identity card expired within last year.[332]
Countries requiring passport validity of at least 4 months on arrival include Azerbaijan, Micronesia, Zambia.
Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[335] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record, while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.
Persona non grata
The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning them from entering the country or expelling them if they have already entered. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[336]
Israeli stamps
Kuwait,[337] Lebanon,[338] Libya,[339] Syria,[340] and Yemen[341] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017[update]) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.[citation needed]
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.
Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.[342]
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[343][344] Argentina,[345] Brunei, Cambodia,[346] China,[347] Ethiopia,[348] Ghana, Guinea,[349] India, Japan,[350][351] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[352] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[353] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[354] Singapore, South Korea,[355] Taiwan, Thailand,[356] Uganda,[357] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by its own legislation),[358][359][360] intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[361]
Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports[362] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[363][364] The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to greatly increase the biometric data it collects at US borders.[365] In 2018, Singapore began trials of iris scanning at three land and maritime immigration checkpoints.[366][367]
Right to consular protection in non-EU countries
In a non-EU country where there is no German embassy, German citizens, like all other EU citizens, have the right to get consular protection from the embassy of any other EU country present in that country.
^"eGate". customs.govt.nz. New Zealand Customs Service. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
^ ab"Paying the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy". immigration.govt.nz. Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2021. Many tourists, people on working holidays, and some students and workers coming to New Zealand must pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD $35.
^"Information about: Australian Resident Visa". immigration.govt.nz. Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 21 May 2020. Australian citizens and permanent residents can visit, work and live in New Zealand. You do not need a visa before you travel to New Zealand.
^As the Vatican City has no tourist accommodations (hotels or rental apartments), it is therefore virtually impossible to stay overnight as a tourist.[citation needed]
^Division, c=AU;o=Commonwealth of Australia;ou=Department of the Environment and Energy;ou=Australian Antarctic (28 February 2005). "Frequently asked questions". www.heardisland.aq.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Belize Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Egypt Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Georgia Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"India Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Iran Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Iraq Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Jordan Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Lebanon Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Libya Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Maldives Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Morocco Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Nepal Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Oman Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Pakistan Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Qatar Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Seychelles Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Syria Required Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Ukraine Recommended Vaccinations: Polio". iamat.org. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^Strong, Matthew (17 August 2021). "Palau limits travel bubble with Taiwan to already vaccinated or registered vaccine tourists". Taiwan News. Retrieved 18 August 2021. Only travellers already vaccinated and those registered to receive COVID-19 shots in Palau will be allowed to take part in the travel bubble with Taiwan, the Pacific island nation announced Tuesday (Aug. 17).
^Ian, Sample (1 April 2021). "Pfizer vaccine has 91% efficacy for up to six months, trial shows". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2021. He said scientists had become "terribly worried" about the variant's ability to evade immunity from previous infection or vaccination. "Studies like this confirm our sense that the vaccine gives such massive protective headroom that even with some loss of immunity, you're still safe," he said.
^Baker, Vicky (20 June 2013). "Passport expiry dates and blank pages: what are the rules?". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2024. The number of remaining blank pages a passport should have is also an issue. Some travellers have reported arriving with one or less than one full page left and waiting for hours at immigration, until an official reluctantly grants them entry. The FCO lists no hard and fast rules because, in many cases, there aren't any.
^"Yellow Fever". Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). African Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021. African countries that requires (sic) Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: Countries that require vaccination for all travellers older that 9 months or 1 year: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameron, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'lvoire, DRC, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Niger, Togo.
^Agence régionale de sante Guyane (2 September 2018). "Fièvre jaune" (in French). Retrieved 27 August 2019.
^Calder, Simon (24 April 2017). "Airline lobbying for a relaxation of draconian rules for London-Auckland travellers". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Travellers heading west from the UK to New Zealand may soon be able to avoid the onerous requirement to clear US border control during the refuelling stop at Los Angeles airport (LAX). Unlike almost every other country in the world, the US insists on a full immigration check even for passengers who simply intend to re-board their plane to continue onwards to a foreign destination. Air New Zealand, which flies daily from Heathrow via Los Angeles to Auckland, says there are currently "strict requirements for travellers" in transit at LAX. Through passengers to Auckland on flight NZ1 or Heathrow on NZ2 must apply in advance for an ESTA (online visa) even though they have no intention of staying in the US. They also have to undergo screening by the Transportation Security Administration.
^"China to Start Fingerprinting Foreign Visitors". Air Canada. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Effective April 27, 2018, border control authorities at all of China's ports of entry, including its airports, will start collecting the fingerprints of all foreign visitors aged between 14 and 70. Diplomatic passport holders and beneficiaries of reciprocal agreements are exempted..
^"Immigration & Visas FAQs". Kenya Airports Authority. Retrieved 6 May 2019. Will visitors still have their digital photo and fingerprints taken at the immigration desk on arrival? Yes, the need to have photos and fingerprints taken upon arrival is to authenticate that the person who applied for the Visa is the same person at the port of entry
^"Malaysia". CountryReports. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^Brown, Theresa Cardinal (9 May 2016). "Biometric Entry-Exit Update: CBP Developing Land Border Process". Bipartisan Policy Center. Retrieved 25 April 2019. While a requirement for a biometric entry-exit system has been in law for over a decade, it is not yet a reality. Many reasons for the long gestating development have been documented in BPC's 2014 report Entry-Exit System: Progress, Challenges, and Outlook, including the technological, operational, and cost challenges of creating exit systems and infrastructure where none exist today. However, many critics, especially in Congress, simply accused the Department of Homeland security of dragging its feet... the major operational, logistical, and technical challenge in implementing exit capability at our ports has been the land borders. Unlike airports and seaports, the land border environment is not physically controlled, there is no means to get advance information on who is arriving, and the sheer volume of travel—both vehicular and pedestrian—creates challenges in any system to not further exacerbate delays. While biometric exit for land vehicular traffic is still in the "what if" stage, CBP is moving ahead and piloting systems and technology to use with the large population of pedestrian crossers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
^Lipton, Eric (21 May 2013). "U.S. Quietly Monitors Foreigners' Departures at the Canadian Border". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Long demanded by lawmakers in Congress, it is considered a critical step to developing a coherent program to curb illegal immigration, as historically about 30 percent to 40 percent of illegal immigrants in the United States arrived on tourist visas or other legal means and then never left, according to estimates by Homeland Security officials.
^Lipton, Eric (15 December 2006). "Administration to Drop Effort to Track if Visitors Leave". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Efforts to determine whether visitors actually leave have faltered. Departure monitoring would help officials hunt for foreigners who have not left, if necessary. Domestic security officials say, however, it would be too expensive to conduct fingerprint or facial recognition scans for land departures.
^"Iris Scanner Could Replace Emirates ID In UAE". SimplyDXB. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018. The breach of privacy is probably the biggest threat to the biometric technique of iris recognition. Secondly, a device error can false reject or false accept the identity which can also have some heinous consequences. Lastly, the method isn't the most cost-effective one. It is complex and therefore expensive. Furthermore, the maintenance of devices and data can also be relatively burdensome. However, thanks to the oil money and spending ability of Dubai, they are economically equipped to effectively embrace this system.
^Roberts, Jeff John (12 September 2016). "Homeland Security Plans to Expand Fingerprint and Eye Scanning at Borders". Fortune. Fortune Media IP Limited. Retrieved 24 April 2019. Unlike with documents, it's very hard for a traveler to present a forged copy of a fingerprint or iris. That's why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to vastly expand the amount of biometric data it collects at the borders. According to Passcode, a new program will ramp up a process to scan fingers and eyes in order to stop people entering and exiting the country on someone else's passport.
^"Singapore tests eye scans at immigration checkpoints". Reuters. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019. Singapore has started scanning travellers' eyes at some of its border checkpoints, its immigration authority said on Monday, in a trial of expensive technology that could one day replace fingerprint verification.
1British Overseas Territories.
2 These countries span the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia.
3 Partially recognized.
4Unincorporated territory of the United States.
5 Part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
6Egypt spans the boundary between Africa and Asia.