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Visa Waiver Program

New passport requirements for International travelers coming to the United States have recently been announced by the Department of Homeland Security.

A summary of the new requirements for passports issued by Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries is as follows:

  •  As of October 26 of this year, all countries must issue passports
    with digital photos or the required chip (e-passport) containing
    biometric information about the individual.
  • However, anyone issued a machine-readable passport prior to
    October 26, 2005, will be “grandfathered in” and allowed to visit the
    U.S until the passport expires.
  • All VWP countries must issue passports with the required biometric
    identifier on a chip (e-passport) by October 26, 2006.
  • The Department of Homeland Security also reiterated that beginning on
    June 26, 2005 all VWP visitors entering the U.S. must possess a machine-readable passport (MRP).

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a guide to passport
requirements for inbound Visa Waiver travelers to the U.S. Click here to
view the guide.