Effective January 18, 2009, U.S. permanent residents returning to the U.S. from abroad will be subject to the US "VISIT" (Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology) Program. US-VISIT, which requires the fingerprinting of certain applicants for entry to the U.S., will now apply to all permanent residents entering through an air or seaport. Permanent residents entering through land ports of entry will not be fingerprinted unless they are put into secondary inspection.

While the vast majority of permanent residents will be unaffected by this change, permanent residents who have criminal convictions are reminded that they are likely to be detected at entry and should be prepared to present evidence confirming their admissibility to the U.S.