New Delhi, April 20: Politicians, bureaucrats on duty, children and senior citizens will not be fingerprinted for travel to the US.

Following a controversy over its proposal to fingerprint new arrivals to the US, the Bush administration has explained to India that the suggested norm will exempt certain categories.

Several countries have reacted angrily to the proposed visa law, with Brazil and China threatening to subject American visitors to their country to the same practice.

Although Delhi has not taken any such step, the move has not gone down very well in India either.

Senior officials of the US embassy in Delhi recently held a meeting with South Block officials to clear the air. It was clarified that politicians and officials travelling to the US on “special government business”, children below 14 years and senior citizens above 79 years will be exempted from the new law.

“The new law is not aimed at India or any other country but a general measure thought of by the government to take care of the new threat perception,” a US official said.