Passports

Hi Guys (and Girls )

Could someone give me and update on the situation with passports and the US. Biometric and otherwise.

Mines expires in a year but with the 90 day rule, I need to start thinking about it soon if you need to visit an embassy to get a visa.

thanks

David

The US Embassy website has a Visa Waiver Wizard which lets you determine if your passport's eligible. Give that a try and you should be a lot clearer as to where you stand after.

The standard Visa Waiver information is here

Jonathan

Prices go up in October, so if you have around 9 months left or less I'd renew soon.

I may be late to the party on this one, and slightly OT from the OP, but I came across this page when playing with the wizard Jonathan kindly told us about. I thought it was the case that for entry to the US you had to have 6 months to run on your passport after your due depature date. Only from an interest point of view, when did this change ?

Paul

Paul - I think they are saying that if you are getting a full non-immigrant visa then the 6 month rule is waived if your stay is shorter than six months.

However this appears to be relevant only if you are applying for a non-immigrant visa. i.e. if you are planning to enter under a visa waiver then one of the conditions of doing so is that your passport is valid for at least 6 months.

Originally posted by oxmatt
Paul - I think they are saying that if you are getting a full non-immigrant visa then the 6 month rule is waived if your stay is shorter than six months.

However this appears to be relevant only if you are applying for a non-immigrant visa. i.e. if you are planning to enter under a visa waiver then one of the conditions of doing so is that your passport is valid for at least 6 months.

Thanks - much appreciated - that makes sense.

Paul

[preiffer]

Actually, oxmatt, this came up last month.

It seems, in reading all the info on both the customs.gov site, and on usembassy.org.uk that this stipulation has now changed. Passports need only to be valid to the end of your stay.

[preiffer]

Update:

In fact, here it is, confirmed, in writing:

Passport Validity


If traveling under the Visa Waiver Program, the passport must be valid for at least 90 days from the date on which the holder enters the United States. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport. Note: Passport holders from Andorra, Brunei, and San Marino must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure from the United States, even if traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.

From usembassy.org.uk. So, unless you're from Andorra, Brunei, or San Marino, 90 days it is [y]

[mcmbenjamin]

Well you could swim. It's quite the rage these days.

Originally posted by preiffer
Update:

In fact, here it is, confirmed, in writing:

Passport Validity


If traveling under the Visa Waiver Program, the passport must be valid for at least 90 days from the date on which the holder enters the United States. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport. Note: Passport holders from Andorra, Brunei, and San Marino must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure from the United States, even if traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.

From usembassy.org.uk. So, unless you're from Andorra, Brunei, or San Marino, 90 days it is [y]

Originally posted by David
Mines expires in a year but with the 90 day rule, I need to start thinking about it soon if you need to visit an embassy to get a visa.

[y]

Thanks everyone, as usual for the info.

Just as an addition, if you do not need to be present when a "chipped" passport is issued, what is so different about the chip as opposed to the "machine read" variety. I had thought that the whole idea about putting a chip in these things was that they could hold much more info about the holder ie finger prints etc [?]

Originally posted by David
a "chipped" passport is issued, what is so different about the chip as opposed to the "machine read" variety. I had thought that the whole idea about putting a chip in these things was that they could hold much more info about the holder ie finger prints etc [?]

Hereis the page that shows what is currently held. At the moment it's the standard details on the main page of the passport (so they can check for tampering with the printed version) and, I believe (though ISTBC), biometrics about the photo. I read somewhere that fingerprints may be included "sometime later in the decade".

Paul

Apologies for my mistake. Hopefully other countries will follow suit and we won't all have to renew every 9 1/2 years... [}:)]

However I still imagine you could get a hard time at US immigration if you have a limited amount of time before expiry!