What is Visitor Aware?
Visitor Aware is a visitor management and screening service designed specifically to help secure schools and enterprise locations.
Why do I need to sign in using Visitor Aware?
Visitor Aware is used to ensure that only safe visitors are granted access to this location. This provides an additional layer of security for your children and staff by validating the identities of anyone entering the premises and determining if they are a potential threat before an incident could occur.
Why do I need a valid form of identification to check in?
Visitors are required to have a valid state-issued identification card such as a driver's license to check in to ensure the accuracy of the information provided. Valid identification is also used to ensure that the person checking in is the same as the ID holder.
What kind of identification is required?
A valid, non-expired state-issued identification card with a photo of you is required to check in.
Note: Military identification Cards (CAC cards) are not accepted as some older CAC cards contain your social security number, and are not allowed to be scanned outside of approved DOD locations.
What data is collected when I check in at a school?
The following information is collected during an initial check-in or an information refresh:
ID Number
First name
Middle name
Last name
ID expiration date
Date of Birth
Address
Sex
Photograph
If more ideal, for corporate locations, there is a security setting that will allow you to collect less information on your visitors.
After your initial check-in and screening, you will typically be able to check in without presenting your identification card as Visitor Aware utilizes facial recognition in order to match your existing visitor profile with the photo taken of you during your check-in. Facial recognition information is stored as a series of encrypted geometric coordinates, along with only your Visitor Aware visitor ID number (an automatically assigned number associated with your visitor profile).
In order for you to check in using facial recognition, there must be a 95% or higher match between the analysis geometry of your previous visits, and your current photo. In the event that a lower percentage match is found, you'll simply be prompted to check in using your identification card.
Facial recognition is only used in states where lawful to do so.
What is my information used for?
Your name, date of birth, state, and sex are used to ensure that you are not on a sexual offenders registry across all 50 states, as well as ensuring that you are not on a national or international watchlist such as FBI watchlists, OFAC blocked persons, DTC debarred parties, etc…
Your information creates a secured visitor profile used to associate your visits with your existing data after an initial visit and screening. Your information is only used for the purpose of helping a school or school district identify visitors. We do not save any more information than is necessary for this purpose and do not use any data for any other purpose.
Who can see my information?
Your visitor profile may only be viewed by users specifically granted access by a school administrator and is not available outside the Visitor Aware administration area (including on check-in devices). Role-based user administration allows only specific team members to view your information, and all access to your visitor profile is recorded.
Your information is never sold, transferred, or accessible by any person or service outside Visitor Aware.
Where does my information go, and how is it protected?
Your information is transferred securely using HTTPS (SSL connection) from check-in devices and administration areas to Visitor Aware’s military-grade secured servers.
Data is stored in encrypted databases, and individual data is separately encrypted to ensure security. Only your most recent photo is stored, and your previous photo is securely destroyed upon each new visit.
Your photograph is also encrypted using AES256 Server-side encryption. Your data is not stored on check-in devices. All of your information is completely destroyed from check-in devices after each check-in.
How long is my information stored?
Visitor Aware stores your data indefinitely unless a client has specified that visitor data should be automatically removed after specific durations, in which case your data will be fully purged after that duration has passed.
Need a visitor facing questions and answers document?
Printable versions of commonly asked questions are provided below. Please select the appropriate version.
Education:
https://documentation.singlewire.com/VisitorAware/VA-Welcome-Parent-QA.pdf
Corporate:
https://documentation.singlewire.com/VisitorAware/VA-Welcome-General-QA.pdf