ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The United States government has announced that visa applicants will be fingerprinted at the US embassy here from Monday.

This was a new procedure, instituted in accordance with the US law, which mandated that biometric identifiers be collected from all visa applicants by Oct 26, 2004, a press release issued here on Friday said.

It was a worldwide programme, already instituted in many countries, such as Mexico, Belgium, Canada and Germany, it said. All visa applicants except those below 14 years or above 79 years of age would be fingerprinted.

Individuals travelling to the US for urgent medical treatment and those who, to the satisfaction of a consular officer, cannot reasonably appear for fingerprinting are exempted. Government officials travelling on official business will also be exempt.