Boy that sure would make a great intro to an article about German tattoo artists.  Or the best places for body art in Amsterdam, (coming in March,) but no – this is the more Orwellian issue of requiring fingerprints to travel.

This MSNBC article discusses Europe’s reciprocation of the U.S. policies which require extensive biometric information on all travelers.

Speaking of ink I know they use a biometric pad to collect prints now,  but do they still dip your finger in ink at old timey police stations?   I haven’t been arrested lately.

MSNBC Article and excerpts…

The United States already requires that foreigners be fingerprinted and photographed before they can enter the country. So does Japan. Now top European security officials want to follow suit, with travelers being fingerprinted and some also having their facial image stored in a Europe-wide database, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by The Washington Post.

The plan is part of a vast and growing trend — especially across the Atlantic — to collect and share data electronically for the purposes of tracking and identifying people in the name of national security and immigration control. U.S. government computers now have access to data on financial transactions; air travel details such as name, itinerary and credit card numbers; and the names of those sending and receiving express-mail packages — even a description of the contents.

For several years, the United States has required that airlines flying into the country transmit detailed passenger data before the flight’s arrival. In November, the European Commission, the E.U.’s executive arm, issued the same proposal. The United States is working on an electronic travel authorization system, requiring travelers from countries where visas are not required to visit here to submit identification and travel details before departure. Now the commission is proposing something similar.