USA & Biometric Passports

Some of you maybe aware that recently in the press it’s been reported that many have had problems and some even refused entry to the USA due to not having a Biometric Passport.

This being a passport with the chip on the front, machine readable. Even with validity of six months remaining on the passport is now apparently not good enough.

You must have a Biometric passport for entry to the USA.

I find this very unfair to all those who may have recently, within the last few years at least renewed their passports and may have several years remaining and now having at their won cost renew their passport just because of this new law in the USA.

This law was quietly introduced on the 1st April.

The new biometric passports were first introduced from 2006 so if your passport was issued before that the chances are it doesn’t have the biometric chip. I would recommend you check this and if planning a trip to the USA it’s worth renewing.

The new passport types are easily recognisable with a little square symbol on the front as the chip.

I was reading in the press that some holiday makers have been unaware of this and with more than 6 months remaining on their current passports and having a valid Esta assumed they were allowed to travel before being turned away. I think if any government is going to introduce such a system that they should at the very least announce it and give advance warning as to when this new law will take effect. This who have current passports should be allowed to travel until their current passport expires. If you work the dates out and they say from 2006 every passport issued is the new type then why not set an advance date so nobody will get caught up in this as older passports will naturally expire and renewals will be valid.

I’d like to see the passport office issue a statement or something put on the government website for clarification as there still seems to be some uncertainty. If travel agents aren’t told this how can we advise customers when they book a holiday that this is something extra they will need to check. We don’t sell Visa’s and we’re not Visa specialists and it’s always recommended like travel insurance and inoculations to check yourself for Visas before travel.

As I have read this myself and I like going to the USA any of my future customers I will be reminding them to check their passports.

Have you been caught up in this? If it’s effected you in any way I’d like to hear about it and how you dealt with the situation.

I’ll be looking out for clarification on this and until then any future customers of mine will get the friendly advice to double check they have the new style to be on the safe side.