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New regulations for US Visa Waiver Programme (was RE: french crypto regulations relating to personal encryption usageby visitors? )

2005-04-02 06:07:10

<<snip>>

Real serious issues seem to be waved away.  To my opinion, one
threat to the international nature of the IETF are the continuous
increasing difficulties entering the US. This morning I read in the
local papers that starting the 25th of october the Visa-Waiver
program will grind to a halt for (most) Europeans.

      jaap

This depends on whether your passport issuing authority is getting it
together with some new requirements for machine readability.
 
See (e.g.) http://stockholm.usembassy.gov/Consulate/mr_passports.html

Summarizing: if you get a new passport on or after 26 Oct 2005, the Visa
Waiver Program will only apply if the passport includes machine readable
biometric data embedded in a 'contactless' chip (facial recognition data
apparently).

This doesn't apply if your passport is already machine readable (ie. Most
current European passports) and is issued before 26 Oct 2005.

Otherwise you will need to go through the hassle of getting a visa.

The last paragraph of the web page above indicates that 'several' European
governments won't be ready by 26 Oct.

So if your passport which previously gave you access to the VWP is close to
expiry (or like mine getting close to full) it might be good to renew it
before the critical date.

Given the current level of paranoia and the extreme politics of fear which
the US government is currently using to justify its actions, it is unclear
how long it will be before non-biometric passports will be totally
disallowed, but getting a new passport soon could give you a few extra
months of lower hassle.  It will be interesting (but doubtless frustrating)
to see what this does to US immigration throughput when it is introduced.

Regards,
Elwyn

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