International travel
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Going on holiday anytime soon? Many countries will take your fingerprints at the border and you'll be denied entry if you refuse.
Check this list if you're considering going anywhere. This is only for visa-free travel - if you require a visa, you will almost certainly need to get your fingerprints taken regardless of the country's status on this list.
Please contribute to this list if you have recent experience travelling visa-free to a country on a foreign passport and/or can find reliable sources.
| Country | Fingerprints all visitors? |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | Yes, has been taking the fingerprints of everyone entering on a non-American passport since 2004. |
| 🇪🇺 European Union (Schengen area - excludes Ireland) |
Yes, has been taking the fingerprints of everyone entering on a non-EU passport since 2025. If you're thinking about getting an EU passport to avoid this, note that most EU/Schengen passports have to contain your fingerprints. (See European Union) Also applies to 🇮🇸 Iceland, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇨🇭 Switzerland and 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein. |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Does not take fingerprints for normal visa-free entry. Note that anyone entering without a British or Irish passport is required to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | Does not take fingerprints for normal visa-free entry. |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | Everyone I've asked who has visited Japan has had their fingerprints taken. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J-BIS |
| 🇨🇳 China | ❓ Supposedly paused for visa-free visitors until December 2026. But probably not somewhere to visit if you care strongly about avoiding biometrics. https://visasnews.com/en/visa-for-china-fingerprint-exemption-extended-until-december-31-2026/ |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | I know know people who have travelled to Turkey recently (Summer 2026) on British and EU passports, and fingerprints were not taken. Few reliable news sources, but they are apparently planning to start taking fingerprints at some point. |
| 🇮🇳 India | ❓ "New Indian visa rules require British tourists to provide fingerprints" Hard to find reliable sources but it seems likely that you will have to have your fingerprints scanned to enter the country. Note that [almost all https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_India nationalities are required to obtain an e-Visa]. |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | Fingerprints collected from all foreign visitors, except for citizens of Belarus. https://visasnews.com/en/russia-to-collect-biometric-data-of-foreign-visitors/ https://visitrf.com/en/biometrics/biometrics-entry-russia/ |
| 🇺🇦 Ukraine | ❓ Probably, but not certain. UK government official guidance says: "At the border you will need to: scan your fingerprints as part of biometric data collection at border crossing points if requested by the immigration officer" |
| 🇬🇪 Georgia | Cannot find any sources suggesting that visa-free tourists are required to have fingerprints taken. |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | ❓ Unclear. Not explicitly stated to be a routine procedure, but you can't assume that it won't happen. "As a non-citizen of Australia, you may be required to have your fingerprints checked when arriving or departing. A minimum of four fingerprints will be scanned." https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/crossing-the-border/at-the-border I don't know anyone who's been to Australia recently - if you have, update this row with your findings. |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | No sources to suggest that fingerprints are routinely taken from visitors, but you do have to get an 'NZeTA' (similar to the UK's ETA, EU's ETIAS, or ESTA for the US). |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | Fingerprints collected from all foreign visitors. "When arriving and departing Singapore, biometric details, including your fingerprints are recorded electronically." https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/singapore/entry-requirements |