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Xiao Wang, who wants to study in the United States for a doctoral degree, approached the Beijing-based US Embassy for an interview on Monday hoping to get a visa.

He found that each applicant is required to conduct fingerprint scanning, so he placed his two index fingers on a piece of equipment just as others did, which added a few seconds to his application process.

From Monday onwards, the US Embassy and Consulate General in China started the fingerprint scanning for most non-immigrant and immigrant visa applicants.

Any applicant who refuses to be fingerprinted will automatically be disqualified for an application. The move has evoked conflicting responses among Chinese.

An applicant surnamed Xu, who also received an interview at the US Embassy, said the quick scanning doesn't bother him at all.

But a large number of netizens at Xinhuanet.com said the measure constitutes discrimination towards Chinese and violates their privacy and human rights.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also is showing great concern and has taken up the matter with the United States several times since January.

"It's a worldwide implementation," a spokesman at the US Embassy said, noting the measure doesn't single out any particular country or mission.

This security enhancement is intended as an important link in the US overall plan to improve border security, and to reduce the use of stolen and counterfeit visas, he said.

But when questioned why citizens from countries such as Canada and 27 other nations are not forced to undergo fingerprint scanning and are even exempted the visa fees, the official said those countries are on the US Visa Waver Programme which was decided by the US congress.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that contradicts the US claim that the programme is worldwide.

Earlier this month, the US Embassy set up a China-wide Visa Information Call Centre to provide visa-related information to applicants and to schedule non-immigrant interview appointments.

It also raised doubts on the 54 yuan (US$7) it is charging for every 12 minutes the callers stay on the line.

According to a report by a Shanghai-based newspaper, the fees -- which are considered steep -- largely exceed common hotline services.

Shao Jie, a former overseas student, said she didn't know why the embassy charges another sum of money after the applicants have paid 830 yuan (US$100) in application fees.

But some others, like Xun Yangjian, who plans to travel to the United States later this year, said it's worthwhile spending that money if, as the US Embassy promised, it can make an appointment in a speedy and organized fashion.

The embassy confirmed the call centre is operated by a Shanghai-based Chinese information company but would not reveal any other details.