The fingerprints of millions of visitors will be checked each year

Until now, the procedure, which checks against databases to verify travellers' papers, applied only to visa holders.

The Association of British Travel Agents said the policy could result in even longer queues at US airports.

And human rights group Privacy International has warned that the project will "devastate" people's privacy and civil rights.

An ABTA spokeswoman said queuing problems may be heightened at busy airports like Miami, Dulles in Washington and Houston, but that travellers' safety would "probably be enhanced".

Access to information about passengers before they travel will help in the fight against illegal immigration, particularly document and identity abuse Immigration Minister Des Browne Border surveillance plan unveiled Q&A: Fingerprinting foreigners

Travellers who arrive in the US under the visa waiver programme will not be exempt from the policy.

It will affect the residents of 27 countries who can travel to the country without a visa for less than three months, as long as they are not seeking work.

The screening will happen at 115 major airports and 14 seaports.

The Department of Homeland Security has estimated that 33,000 people entering the US everyday will be affected.

The spokeswoman for ABTA went on to say: "The US authorities have assured us that they have appropriately resourced airports, so now it is a matter of seeing whether it is implemented smoothly.

The Privacy International group claims the scheme will threaten security rather than improve it.

Director Simon Davies said: "The technology being used is demonstrably unsafe and can only result in security being compromised rather than being improved.

"This programme is a slap in the face for those countries that have regarded the United States as a friend and ally."