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Extension of Deadline for Machine Readable Passports for Visa Waiver Visitors

The U.S. Department of State has sent diplomatic notes to 26 of the 27 Visa Waiver countries indicating that it is willing to consider requests to postpone the effective date of the machine readable passport requirement from October 1, 2003 until October 26, 2004. In order to obtain an extension, a Visa Waiver country will need to outline its plans for issuing machine readable passports, describe the measures it has taken to prevent misuse of its non-machine readable passports, and commit to the timely sharing with the United States of information on lost and stolen passports.

In July 2003, the U.S. Department of State had announced that all visitors from the 27 Visa Waiver countries would have to present machine readable passports as of October 1, 2003 or to obtain a visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate before coming to the United States. The reasons for the offer to extend the deadline include fear of chaos at U.S. diplomatic posts and ports of entry, as approximately 30% of the Visa Waiver country passports are estimated to lack machine readable features, and complaints from the travel industry.

Notwithstanding this extension, visitors from Belgium will continue to be required to have machine readable passports or to obtain visas from a U.S. embassy or consulate prior to traveling to the United States because of concerns about the security of Belgian passports.

The Jackson Lewis Immigration Practice Group is available to answer questions regarding this issue and to provide services to employers regarding all immigration matters.