V-Flyer

Am sure someone on here will know the answer... does your passport still need to be valid for 6 months from arrival in the USA to enter under the Visa Waiver Program?

Have looked on the VS website & can see nothing about this. The US-Visit website also does not list this requirement either. So am assuming the answer is no - they [Uncle Sam] used to be very blatant about their rules.

I have a MRP [machine readable passport] that expires in March 07 and am visiting the USA in Nov 06. I have a few travel plans between now & November that will make renewal "windows", i.e. 6 weeks or so without overseas travel difficult. I also want to hold back if possible to ensure that the new passport I end up with is a biometric one.

Any info / views gratefully recieved.

Yup, I believe so.

I think so too, whatever the rule is now.. it is certainly a case of 'better safe than sorry'. I would be tempted to renew anyway. :D

I stand to be corrected, but I don't think the biometric ones will be issued before your expires, so I don't think you will gain anything by holding off.

Does anyone know when the UK will start to issue biometric passports? the UK passport website is a bit vague, but still says 2006???

Nick

The UKPS [UK Passport Service] website suggests that all "customers" applying after August 2006 will recieve a biometric passport.

Passport Validity


If traveling under the Visa Waiver Program, the passport must be valid for at least 90 days from the date on which the holder enters the United States. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport. Note: Passport holders from Andorra, Brunei, and San Marino must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure from the United States, even if traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.

copied from the US embassy web site

ela123 - many thanks for the information. I will hold back as long as I can to get a biometric passport that should help avoid any travel problems for the next 10yrs.

Kraken, I see you're travelling back from MCO 18th Nov same day as us. Maybe see you in the Delta Crown Room

Unfortunately I'm in the process of renewing my passport at the moment and I don't think I will be getting a bio one, however if I read the information correctly it seeemed to suggest that you would either receive a machine readable or bio one, the price has definately gone up though!

The Passport service issued this press release in March to signify they had begun issuing biometric passports.

I can't see anywhere that shows the proportion of old versus new passports they are issuing, but I assume the the proportion of new bio passports is increasing. I remember asking mike-smashing recently whether his newly issued passport was biometric, and it wasn't.

My passport is up for renewal in July, so I might hold out for a bit longer to see if I can get a new one - although I can't think of a reason why I might want that! They aren't taking any new information from applicants at this point (e.g. fingerprints or DNA) so it can hardly offend anyone from a civil liberties perspective.

Don't forget that the Post Office offer a 2 week turnaround passport service, and if you're really busy (as I once was), queuing at Petty France passport office in London can result in a 6 hour turnaround!

Originally posted by slinky09
queuing at Petty France passport office in London can result in a 6 hour turnaround!

Except the London Passport office is now about 150 yards away from Victoria station, in Eccleston Square, but you can still get same-day/next-day service, if you drop your paperwork off before 4pm, you will get your new passport by 10pm that evening. Similar service is available at the various regional passport offices (Liverpool and Peterborough, among others).

Thankfully, they switched to an "appointment" system rather than all that silly queueing.

Given the security issues that have been demonstrated to exist in the current standard for biometric passports, I'm not sure I would aim to get one, especially during the sunrise period (as you'll probably find that they will need replacing/augmenting as time goes by anyway).

I'd be renewing now, and hoping for a non-chipped passport.

Cheers,
Mike

The British Embassy in Washington is now only issuing Biometric Passports. When they say "biometric" however, they are not taking fingerprints, DNA, genetic defects or anything else that Charles Clarke wanted to have us all provide for ID cards. (Which by the way will never do what they are intended to do, as my experience of the Belgian system clearly demonstrated, but thats another story). The only biometric information it will take is measurements of your face from the photograph you provide.

Nothing too earth shattering then. But as has been said before, it is recommended to have a passport valid for more than 6 months after the date you expect to leave the USA.

You may find that nervous VS security officials don't let you on the flight if your passport doesn't meet the USCIS requirements, for fear of receiving the hefty fines that the US hand out to all airlines carrying passengers who are subsequently refused entry.

AF