The United States said Friday it will require foreign visitors from virtually all countries -- including most of its closest allies -- to be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival.

The move, to take affect on September 30, will eliminate a special status enjoyed by citizens of 27 mainly European nations that had exempted them from enhanced US border security requirements which took effect in January.

Citizens of those countries -participants in the so-called "visa waiver programme" -- will still be able to travel to the United States without a visa, but will have to meet the same requirements as visitors who require a visa.

Countries affected by the change are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britian, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Special immigration procedures for citizens of Canada, who are not subject to the fingerprinting and photographing, and Mexico, remain unchanged.

The State Department and Department of Homeland Security announced the new rules, saying they were necessary to protect the country from terrorists and to ensure the viability of the visa waiver

programme.

Nonetheless, the move is expected to draw heavy criticism, particularly from traditional and long-standing close US allies whose citizens will soon be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival at US air and sea ports.

Asa Hutchinson, the under secretary for borders and transportation security at the Department of Homeland Security, acknowledged there might be complaints but asked for understanding.

"We hope that the international community will understand our new system. This step is designated to make sure the security issues will be addressed. This will be a measure to identify terrorists," he told reporters.