SAN FRANCISCO, May 20: The United States will introduce a high-tech border security system from Jan 1, 2004 to track all foreigners entering the country on a visit or student visa.

Foreigners will be electronically photographed and fingerprinted while entering the US, said Asa Hutchinson, under-secretary for border and transportation security.

The tracking system, called US Visitor and Immigrant Status Identification Technology (US Visit), will alert officials if an individual has terrorist connections, past convictions or visa violations. Foreigners will be screened on their arrival in or departure from the country.

Currently, Mr Hutchinson said, there was no way of knowing when a visitor left the country, but under the new system, that would change.

Countries whose citizens do not need a visa to enter the US will be urged to adopt biometric identification methods as soon as possible.

“We will not let visa waiver countries be a gap that terrorists can exploit,” said Mr Hutchinson.