WASHINGTON -- The
Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) said all but two of the 27
countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) have been
able to meet a U.S. mandate requiring them to produce passports
with digital photographs by Oct. 26.
The exceptions
are Italy and France, which only have limited digital photo
production capabilities in operation to replace all passports that
will expire with passports that include digital photos.
The DHS is
recommending travelers from these countries to contact their local
passport issuance offices to obtain information on whether a
digital passport can be issued. If not, the DHS urges travelers to
obtain a visa prior to travel to the U.S. The DHS will continue to
work closely with these countries to certify their full compliance
as soon as possible.
The DHS said it
intends to fine transportation carriers up to $3,300 per violation
for transporting any visitor traveling under the VWP to the U.S.
who does not meet these requirements.
Austria, another VWP
country, said it will issue passports with a visa foil integrated
in a page of the passport. The DHS said the visa foil alternative
is an acceptable means of compliance with the digital photo
requirement.
Visitors
traveling without the enhanced passports will not be allowed to
enter the U.S., the DHS said.
The new passport
requirement stems from a law passed by Congress called the Enhanced
Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002. The law requires
any passport issued after Oct. 26 and used for VWP travel to the
U.S. to include a biometric identifier.
Additionally, the
DHS has established a policy that requires all VWP countries to
produce passports with an integrated circuit chip capable of
storing biographic information from the data page of a passport, a
digitized photograph and other biometric information. VWP countries
must begin integrating these so-called e-passport chips into
passports by Oct. 26, 2006.
Under the VWP,
countries that qualify for participation in the program permit U.S.
travelers to enter their countries without a visa for up to 90; the
U.S. reciprocates, allowing visitors from VWP countries similar
entry into the U.S.
Along with
Austria, France and Italy, countries participating in the VWP are
Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, Germany,
Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K.
To contact
reporter Michael Milligan, send e-mail to [email protected].