VWP Travelers : Be Aware of New Rules
Posted Sep 17, 2004
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The Bureau of Public Affairs of the U.S. Department of State (DOS), issued a Fact Sheet on September 13, 2004. It reminds Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers that, as of September 30, 2004, all VWP travelers arriving at a United States port of entry (POE) need to be enrolled in US-VISIT.
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Further, as of October 26, 2004, all VWP travelers will be required to have either machine-readable passports or valid U.S. visas to enter the United States. The requirement for biometric passports has been postponed by law until October 2005.
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It is unclear whether adding VWP travelers to the list of enrollees under US-VISIT will delay travel in any way. All travelers under US-VISIT, however, should be prepared to wait in longer US-VISIT lines at the POEs. Any traveler who is unsure as to which documents s/he must have in order to legally enter the U.S. should consult with a qualified immigration attorney prior to traveling to the United States.