February 14, 2012 - Legislators in Beijing have received a draft law that would empower the public security authority to fingerprint foreign nationals.  If approved, the law would allow the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to gather and store biometric data on foreign nationals “whenever they deem it necessary.”  This law would also allow the public security department to obtain fingerprints from foreign nationals who apply for a residence permit.

Fingerprinting would also apply to Chinese nationals, a measure the government claims would decrease the time required for both arrivals and departures.  Further to the law’s provisions, foreign nationals who are suspected of illegal entry, stay, and employment or who are suspected of “endangering state security or social order” may be detained and investigated for up to 60 days if the case is “complicated.”

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