Canadian Travellers to be Photographed at U.S Borders Beginning December 26
by Marsha Mowers
The Canadian Association of Tour Operators say the new U.S. tariffs could be disastrous.
Smile and say cheese – Canadians travelling to the U.S by air, land or sea will soon have their photo taken when they enter and exit the country.
The new rule was announced Friday and rollout is expected to begin December 26, 2025 though full implementation could take a few years.
Facial biometric technology – the technology used to ensure a traveller’s photo matches their passport – isn’t new to the U.S.; the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been using facial biometrics to confirm the identities of international passengers arriving at U.S. airports for almost ten years.
In a court document, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says the new procedure will provide more accurate border crossing records of aliens, will cut down on fraud, and identify more effectively traveller overstays.
According to a CBC News report, privacy concerns are being raised because the photos will remain in a DHS database for up to 75 years. Currently CBP uses fixed auto-capture cameras to photograph passengers on arrival at airports, but it doesn’t own fixed cameras in departure areas, so CBP officers will be tasked with photographing travellers.
Canadian travel to the U.S is already facing record lows due to a tense political rivalry between the two countries; in September alone, air travel was down 27%, and by almost 35% for land travel.
By contrast, airlines such as Air Canada have recently announced increased routes to the U.S for 2026.
