News & Events Archives

Posted 11/04/03

• Machine-Readable Passports for Visa Waiver Program Travel Postponed (October 2003)
  
  The Department of State has postponed the date by which Visa Waiver Program travelers must present machine-readable passports at the port-of-entry to be admitted to the United States without a visa.
  
  October 26, 2004 is the postponement date which travelers from Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are required to present a machine-readable passport when entering the United States.
  
  Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Slovenia did not request a postponement. Effective October 1, 2003, citizens from these visa waiver countries are required to have machine-readable passports or a United States visa to enter the United States.Belgium was not eligible to receive this extension.
  
  Belgian citizens who wished to travel under the sponsorship of the Visa Waiver Program have been required to present a machine-readable passport since May 15, 2003.