New Biometric System to Speed Up Airport Arrival for Antigua and Barbuda Citizens

Antigua and Barbuda has introduced a new biometric immigration system designed to make airport arrivals faster and easier for returning citizens.

The initiative, called Welcome Home Antigua, was soft-launched Thursday and will operate at both the V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua and the Burton-Nibbs International Airport in Barbuda.

Under the new system, Antigua and Barbuda citizens will no longer be required to complete an Embarkation/Disembarkation form when entering the country.

Citizens will instead be required to download the Welcome Home Antigua mobile app on an Apple or Android device and enrol in the system. Biometric technology will then scan and recognize the passenger’s face, allowing for a faster immigration process.

Chief Immigration Officer Katrina Yearwood said the initiative places Antigua and Barbuda among regional leaders in the use of biometric technology for immigration.

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration Minister E.P. Chet Greene and Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Charles Fernandez were among the first to use the system after returning from overseas engagements.

Greene described the initiative as another step in the country’s modernization, while Fernandez stressed that technology should complement quality service provided by immigration and other airport personnel.

Welcome Home Antigua is expected to take full effect on October 15.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda Launches Facial Recognition System for Citizens Arriving at Airports.