Posted on June 04, 2009 by Fiona Hilliard

Inspired by Steve’s All-American Ultimate Drive?  Well, if you’re planning on travelling to the US this summer, bear in mind that you may need an e-passport to enter the country.  From July 1st it will be compulsory for all passengers entering the US under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) to carry an e-passport.
If your passport was issued after October 25th 2006, but is not an e-passport, then you will have to apply for a visa before you travel or apply for a waiver at the US port of entry. 

All is not lost if you don’t have an e-passport.  According to the US Embassy, any traveller who arrives at the airport with a non-compliant, emergency or temporary passport and is otherwise admissible, may be granted a no-fee waiver at the discretion of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.

So how do you know if you have an e-passport?

The e-passports being issued by the VWP counties carry the international e-passport symbol on the cover, a contactless chip with personal information and contain critical security features that prevent the unauthorised reading or “skimming” of data stored on the chip. 

Anyone wishing to verify whether their passport meets the requirements and deadlines for VWP travellers should visit the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection website:  http://www.cbp.gov.