Australia weighs sharing travellers' biometrics with US to keep visa-free entry

Australian Home Affairs officials told a Senate Estimates hearing on 27 October that Washington wants an Enhanced Border Security Partnership by 31 December, and that handing over Australians' fingerprint and facial data is one option to keep visa-free travel. Another option is a simple yes-or-no verification, and questions remain unanswered about onward sharing with third countries, contractors such as Palantir, and public consultation. The case shows access to travel becoming tied to cross-border biometric data exchange, a step toward identity systems that decide who may move.