You might want to make sure you'll be able to get in.
Travel to the US - Machine-Readable Passport Deadline Alert
It is critical that you are aware that an important U.S. government deadline for Visa Waiver travellers takes effect June 26th.
The Immigration and Nationality Act originally set October 1, 2003 asthe date by which VWP travellers needed to present a machine-readable passport. At the request of 23 of the 27 VWP countries, the United States postponed that requirement until October 26, 2004, for those requesting countries. For a limited period, DHS has been authorising a one-time waiver for entry into the country for VWP travellers without a machine-readable passport, at no charge to the traveller. This limited period will end on June 26, 2005. Beginning June 26, 2005, transportation carriers will be fined $3,300, per violation, for transporting any VWP traveller to the United States without a machine-readable passport. Similarly, VWP travellers arriving in the United States on that date without a machine-readable passport should not anticipate being granted one-time entry into the country.
The 27 countries participating in the VWP include: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Any traveller from these 27 countries will need a machine-readable passport on June 26, 2005 to enter the United States.
To summarise:-
1. This policy affects only citizens visiting the U.S. from the 27 Visa Waiver Program countries.
2. Our greatest concern is for travellers from some of these nations who have valid passports that have not been renewed and do not include a machine-readable bar code. Beginning June 26th, they will need to acquire a new, machine-readable passport.
Travel to the US - Machine-Readable Passport Deadline Alert
It is critical that you are aware that an important U.S. government deadline for Visa Waiver travellers takes effect June 26th.
The Immigration and Nationality Act originally set October 1, 2003 asthe date by which VWP travellers needed to present a machine-readable passport. At the request of 23 of the 27 VWP countries, the United States postponed that requirement until October 26, 2004, for those requesting countries. For a limited period, DHS has been authorising a one-time waiver for entry into the country for VWP travellers without a machine-readable passport, at no charge to the traveller. This limited period will end on June 26, 2005. Beginning June 26, 2005, transportation carriers will be fined $3,300, per violation, for transporting any VWP traveller to the United States without a machine-readable passport. Similarly, VWP travellers arriving in the United States on that date without a machine-readable passport should not anticipate being granted one-time entry into the country.
The 27 countries participating in the VWP include: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Any traveller from these 27 countries will need a machine-readable passport on June 26, 2005 to enter the United States.
To summarise:-
1. This policy affects only citizens visiting the U.S. from the 27 Visa Waiver Program countries.
2. Our greatest concern is for travellers from some of these nations who have valid passports that have not been renewed and do not include a machine-readable bar code. Beginning June 26th, they will need to acquire a new, machine-readable passport.
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