DHS Extends E-Passport Deadline Again

The Department of Homeland Security has retreated from the October 26, 2005 deadline for visitors to the US using the Visa Waiver program to present new high-tech secure passports at US ports of entry. The deadline was originally set for October 2003, was extended in 2004 and is now being extended again November. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff has announced that affected countries will have until October 26, 2006 to get acceptable passports into the hands of their citizens. DHS’ authority to require such changes stems from the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002.

The July 26, 2005 deadline for visitors to present machine-readable passports to enter the US is NOT affected.

The US permits nationals of 27 countries (mostly European) to enter the US with only a passport and without the need for a visa. Many of the affected countries warned the US that they would not be able to meet that deadline. Technology is less of a problem than public policy debates in several countries over privacy concerns as well as the extensive costs that would be associated with replacing all passports. Approximately 15 million Europeans entered the US last year using the Visa Waiver program.

But DHS has not totally put off the question of more high-tech passports. VWP countries will be required to produce passports with digital photographs by October 26, 2005 . Also, on that date, VWP counties are required to present an acceptable plan to begin issuing integrated circuit chips, called “e-passports” by DHS, within one year.

“The electronic passport is the path to secure and streamlined travel among Visa Waiver Program countries,” said Secretary Chertoff. “These passport requirements will maintain and strengthen the integrity of the Visa Waiver Program in a manner consistent with congressional intent and international standards. We are pleased by the progress of many Visa Waiver countries in complying with these requirements and we look forward to working with participating countries toward their speedy and complete adoption.”

DHS also announced the requirement that VWP countries commit to reporting all lost and stolen passports to INTERPOL and DHS, report all intercepted lost and stolen passports and increase information sharing between VWP countries and American authorities.

The 27 VWP countries are 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 UK.

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