Securing US air, land, and sea borders is a difficult task. The US has more than 7,000 miles of land border with Canada and Mexico, over 95,000 miles of shoreline, and more than 300 land, air, and sea Ports of Entry (POE). Each year, there are more than 500 million entries into the US through these POEs. This volume is projected to rise steadily, intensifying the need to improve the U.S. Government's ability to manage the borders.

In response to this need, DHS initiated the US VISIT Program (United States Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology), formerly the US Entry/Exit Program. The long-term vision for the US VISIT Program is the implementation of standard business processes, policies, technology, and information systems at all land, air, and sea POEs, with the objective of facilitating travel, securing our nation, and combating terrorism. These objectives will be accomplished by improving the processes, policies, and systems used to collect information on foreign nationals who apply for visas at an embassy or consulate overseas, attempt to enter the country at established POEs, request benefits (such as change of status or adjustment of status), or depart the US. In addition, the US VISIT Program must facilitate legitimate trade and respect personal privacy.

B&A was heavily relied upon by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection for the development and delivery of the first two increments of US Visit as detailed below and continues to be actively involved in various aspects of the US Visit rollout:

• Increment 1 delivered an initial operating capability to air and sea POEs by December 31, 2003, for entry into the United States. This includes the use of biometrics for identity verification, and the ability to check foreign nationals against watch lists.
• Increment 2B delivered the initial operating capability of using biometrics for identity verification and to check foreign nationals against watch lists at the 50 highest-volume land POEs by December 31, 2004. This capability allows for an integrated solution that captures biometrics at points of Entry.