Australia weighs sharing citizens' biometric data to keep US visa waiver

Home Affairs officials told a Senate Estimates hearing on 27 October that the United States wants an agreement by 31 December to keep Australia in the Visa Waiver Program. Options include handing Australians' biometric data directly to US authorities or confirming whether traveller details match Australian records. Questions remain over data storage, onward sharing with third countries and public consultation, and the arrangement shows how travel access is becoming tied to cross-border biometric identity systems.