France and Italy missed the October 26 deadline for countries in the Visa Waiver Program to issue passports that contained digital photographs. The Financial Times reports that at least some French and Italian citizens will now have to obtain visas prior to visits to the United States. The requirement stipulates that visitors from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program have to have digital passport photos and that failure to comply with the new regulations will result in the visitor being denied entry into the U.S. This marks the first time that the U.S. has punished its allies for failing to meet deadlines set by Congress. The new regulations were set as part of an effort to increase the security of foreign passports and to implement a new biometrics passport system.

All 27 Visa Waiver Program countries were required to meet this deadline. However, only France and Italy missed it, requiring all passport-carriers, except those who have older, valid passports, from those countries to obtain a visa before being granted entrance. Not only those who have older passports that are still valid will be allowed entrance without a digital photo; in addition, those people who are unable to obtain a digital photo in France and Italy because of a limited ability there to produce digital photos should contact their local passport office to determine the appropriate course of action.

Because of the new requirements, some fear that travelers will be turned away at airports, or even refused entry entirely, if they do not have the appropriate digital passport photo or a visa. The Italian embassy in Washington stated that it regretted that the U.S. would not extend the deadline, as it is expected to have put in place a fully operational biometrics system that will meet the tougher regulations going into effect next year. France has also stated that it should have biometrics passports available by early next year.