New Passport requirements from October

[Scottish-Helen]

Sorry if this has been posted before but I've not been on here much recently.

From October anyone entering the States on the visa waiver programme will have to have a machine readable passport even if their current passport is still valid.

I think they started issuing this type around about 1999 and they are the ones where your picture is actually on the 2nd last page rather than the other side of the back cover.

ALL CHILDREN WILL HAVE TO HAVE THEIR OWN MACHINE READABLE PASSPORTS.... they will not be able to get in on their parents.

 

[signtalker]

Helen, thanks for that, and YES it has been posted already.

Jules

 

[Phil R]

Helen.
From the conversation I had with the passport office, all the new "red" passports are machine readable.

The picture on my passport is on the inside of the back cover.

The machine readable code is the text and <<< characters at the bottom of the page.

Phil.

 

[Clarey]

You had me worried then My picture is on the inside of the back cover But It has the <<< code etc.

 

[Mark&Jackie]

Check carefully - not all the red passports are machine-readable. If they have been issued outside of the UK then the chances are they do not have the machine-readable code.

I have exactly this problem. Our passports were all issued overseas and they don't have the machine-readable part. This means I have to get new passports - paying the full fee again! or American visas (probably also not cheap).

I'm off to the British consulate next week to try and fight this - it's not my fault they didn't issue the right ones! Right?

 

[#1MMFan]

My photo is on the inside back cover, and any time I have been to the States the passport has been swiped. I've always thought my passport was "machine readable".

 

[Celestine]

MarkandJackie, I was in the same situation, so we forked out for new passports (ours were issued in Cyprus), and having done so read in one of the newspapers (well, buried really) that from next year the USA will only accept you on visa waiver if you have a different new style passport that contains biometric data - yet more expense. Maybe we'll have to look at going somewhere else!

 

[Mark&Jackie]

G-d forbid Celestine - wash your mouth out.

Is there anywhere else other than the "World"?

 

[Celestine]

No, I would go every year twice a year if finances & DH allowed! However, I do resent having to buy a 10 year passport every year because America is new to terrorism! Cynical, I know & probably the start f a complete tongue lashing, but c'est la vie!

 

[Mark&Jackie]

I completely agree with you. I'm going next week to the British Consulate to try and fight this because I didn't request a passport without machine-readable information and I don't see why I should be the one to pay the penalty, especially as it already costs more to have passports issued overseas.

As for the terrorism issue, I think the Americans still have a lot to learn.

Friends just came back from Orlando and they told me that the security is extremely tight but they take your suitcases off to another place to check them - well, how do the passengers know that something isn't being planted!

All passengers were thoroughly searched - except those under the age of 12 - like a terrorist wouldn't give his deadly package to a child to carry.

Living in the Middle East I've become very cynical - I wonder why?!

Anyway enough of the real world - I'm off back to my Disney dream state!

Jackie