"My original point was why require the visa interview and fingerprints if it is meaningless? If the visa means nothing, fingerprint and photograph everytime, sure. But why go through the charade of ever getting the meaningless visa? Seems a waste of time, money and resources."
I think the writer messed up and that this applies to the new "laser passport. As to the waste of time, money and resources, did you think that the politicians would allow the saved money to be spent on citizens?
Not under this administration they won't.
What machine scans and matches faces and fingerprints? Didn't they try face scanners at airports and the idea bombed? I also doubt that the fingerprints of a day laborer match one day to the next - anyone who has worked with their hands knows what this does to the fingertips. What machine is going to take this into account?