From October 2005, those of you holding European passports (including UK) will be required to obtain a VISA to enter USA. Currently, if your passport is machine readible (i.e. has a series of chevrons like this: <<<< TEXT <<<< TEXT <<< at the bottom of your photo page) then you can continue to travel to USA under the Visa Waiver program; i.e. NO visa required, up until Oct 2005. After that you will have to apply for a visa UNLESS you have a new BIOMETRIC passport.
Q. Does anyone know if I can apply for a new BIOMETRIC passport eventhough my current machine readible passport (UK) has another 5 years left to run before it expires?
US law originally required that travellers under the Visa Waiver Programme carrying passports issued after 26 October 2004 would need to hold biometric passports. The President has agreed a one-year deferral of this requirement, to October 2005.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and UK Passport Service (UKPS) welcome this decision, which will now enable British travellers with valid machine-readable passports issued before the new deadline to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Programme up to, and beyond, October 2005
Therefore if I get a new passport tomorrow, I can travel to USA without a visa under the visa waiver programme, until its expiry date? Do I still need to give my fingerprints.
mAd_ScIeNtIsT, thanks for the clarification … but there is still some confusion. The reference to ".. Visa Waiver Programme up to, and beyond, October 2005 " is ambigious. Do you know for a fact whether the ‘and beyond’ means up to the expiry of the passport or a date in the future that is yet to be decided upon by USA authorities by which the new visa requirements will come into force? or is this simply an assumption on your part?
This thread seems to have gone slightly off track as nobody has been able to answer my original question, I'll repaste here....
Q. Does anyone know if I can apply for a new BIOMETRIC passport eventhough my current machine readible passport (UK) has another 5 years left to run before it expires?
^ My youngest sister was recently in USA for school trip and they had their fingerprints & photos taken and even asked some questions .. also about her Pakistani visa stamp on her passport.
^ yeah right -- but she answered back calmly .. now my brother is heading towards NY for vacation - lets see what they say/do to him .. he's got Muhammad in his name.
