U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a reminder to all travelers from
the 27 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that in just over 2 weeks they must
have a machine-readable passport to enter the United States without a visa.
"We
strongly urge anyone who is traveling to the United States to check their documents
to ensure that they have a machine-readable passport and other proper documentation
to enter the United States," said Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner for U.S.
Customs and Border Protection. "By having the correct documents, CBP officers
can easily verify an individual's identity and quickly process them into the United
States."
The reminder follows a Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
announcement on May 12, 2005, stating that as of June 26, 2005, transportation
carriers will be fined $3,300, per violation, for transporting any VWP traveler
to the United States without a machine-readable passport. Similarly, VWP travelers
arriving in the United States on that date without a machine-readable passport
should not anticipate being granted one-time entry into the country.
Outreach
efforts to inform the public of the June 26, 2005 deadline have helped reduce
the number of VWP visitors arriving at the US without the proper passport. An
average of 100 VWP travelers arrive per day without the machine-readable passport,
compared to 147 per day leading up to the DHS announcement. CBP hopes to reduce
that number even more over the coming weeks. Anyone from the 27 VWP countries
thinking of traveling to the United States is encouraged to check with their passport
issuing authority to ensure they are in possession of a machine-readable passport.
As an alternative for persons with immediate travel plans who are unable to obtain
a machine-readable passport in time, the individual may apply for a U.S. visa
at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy abroad.
The 27 countries participating in
the VWP include: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco,
the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Any traveler from these 27
countries will need a machine-readable passport on June 26, 2005 to enter the
United States.
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