More Rules for Foreign Visitors

WASHINGTON —  The Bush administration is proposing to photograph, fingerprint and get detailed information from thousands more foreign visitors to the United States, law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Under the plan, the Justice Department would expand the reach of an existing law to keep better track of tourists, business travelers, students and temporary workers considered possible security threats.

Justice Department officials declined to comment on the plan, details of which are expected to be announced this week.

Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft has undertaken a number of initiatives to better track foreign visitors.

Foreigners seeking to live in the United States are photographed and fingerprinted and must provide background information to the government. But the same is not required of most visitors.

Ashcroft is seeking to expand a 1998 rule that requires visitors from Libya, Iraq, Sudan and Iran to register with the government. The rule could be applied to people from as many as 35 countries under the proposal.