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 Visa Waiver Program - New Passport Requirements
October 26, 2006 Deadline for E-Passports
(08/31/2006)All travelers seeking admission into the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must present a machine-readable passport (MRP). This requirement was enforced as of June 26, 2005. Previous one-time exemptions for VWP travelers without MRPs ended June 26, 2005. An MRP contains two lines of text with numbers and chevrons (<<<) at the bottom of the personal information page with the passport bearer's picture. In addition, depending on when VWP travelers’ passports were issued, other passport requirements apply. For more information, please see Visa Waiver Program Passport Requirements.
( Visa Waiver Program Passport Requirements
(pdf - 574 KB.) )
- 10/26/05: Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended before this date – no further requirements.
- Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended on or after 10/26/05 through 10/25/06: A digital photograph printed on the passport data page is required OR an integrated chip containing information from the data page (“e-passport”). A digital photo is one that is printed on the page, not a photo that is glued or laminated into the passport. VWP travelers with non-compliant passports do not have a valid travel document for admission under the VWP, and will need to either obtain a new e-passport OR a visa in the non-digital photo passport to travel to the United States.
- 10/26/06: Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended on or after this date are required to be e-passports. VWP travelers with non-compliant passports do not have a valid travel document for admission under the VWP, and will need to obtain a visa to travel to the United States.
- Temporary, emergency, official and diplomatic passports are exempted from digital photo and electronic chip requirements, but must be machine-readable. This rule applies to all VWP countries except for Germany. Temporary or emergency German passports are not valid for VWP travel, and must contain a visa for admission to the United States.
If a passport was issued on or after October 26, 2005, and it does not meet these requirements, the traveler will need to obtain a visa (please see information below.)Getting a Visa
Instructions to apply for a U.S. visa are available at www.travel.state.gov, by calling the Department of State’s Visa Services center at (202) 663-1225, or by contacting the nearest consulate or embassy.A visa does not permit entry to the United States. A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed by a U.S. consular officer, and that the officer has determined you are eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose. A visa allows you to travel to the United States as far as the port of entry (airport or land border crossing), where the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer has the authority to permit you to enter the United States.Carrier Liability
Beginning October 26, 2005, transportation carriers will be fined up to $3,300, per violation, for transporting any visitor traveling under the Visa Waiver Program to the United States who does not meet these requirements. Similarly, visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program arriving in the United States on that date without the proper passport should not anticipate being granted entry into the country. |
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