Leniency the new watchword for DHS

For information:

Under transitional measures to be implemented the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), British visitors to America arriving after the 26th October deadline for the introduction of machine-readable passports (MRP) without an MRP could nevertheless be permitted entry to the country.

According to Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary for Border Transportation and Security, who was speaking at a press conference at the US Embassy this afternoon attended by Going USA, 'No one from the UK will be turned away from our borders if they are not in possession of an MRP after 26th October 2004'. He added that not being in possession of the correct passport was not a criminal offence and that the DHS wanted its 'response to such situations to be measured by the scale of the violation'.

However, Hutchinson did warn that those British citizens arriving at a US border without the correct passport would be cautioned, and that a further instance of arrival without the correct passport would 'not necessarily meet with the same response'.

This 'lenient' approach corresponds to comments made recently by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert Bonner concerning 'one-time parole' for those arrivals to the US from Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) countries - of which the UK is one. Bonner explained that those VWP arrivals who are found to have committed a minor violation such as overstaying their previous period of admission will not now be handcuffed and detained if they are deemed to be of 'no-risk'.

The CBP has also initiated a training programme for its officers to ensure that they are as courteous as possible. After all, Hutchinson stated, 'these individuals are the first people to greet foreign guests upon their arrival in America'.

However, those thinking that this new era of leniency and customer service means that obtaining an MRP is merely optional should be warned that, besides a caution, the DHS is also considering a fine - and that 'secondary inspection' is also likely, whereby arrivals without an MRP will be taken aside for questioning.

With delays, questioning and a possible fine for those arriving without the correct passport, obtaining a MRP before the 26th October deadline is clearly the advisable course of action.

Don't want to get all political but...

We all hate change to some degree - and the confusion over this particular subject has made it very difficult - but at least they are being seen to do something about security and stopping potential terrorist threats. If only we did something as well.

I honestly believe that the US welcomes us Brits but the number of British passports issued to God knows whoever these days has meant that they have to be much stricter. It's just a pity they appear to be rushing this measure in before the countries affected are ready - or , have we been given ample warning and it's our fault??

My MRP is due for renewal Nov 05 so if I applied for a new one I would still have to apply for a visa because we are not ready until 06 to produce the 'proper' ones until then - and I'll believe that when I see it( it's probably outsourced work and will be a disaster - sorry ranting here I know).

At least we don't have to have injections!!!!

Maggie

Hi Maggie :)

If your passport is renewed before the introduction of the Biometric version you will be able to use the visa waiver program for the life of the passport.

Are there any adults left in the UK who don't have a machine readable passport? I'm on my second one now which means we've had them for at least 10 years. It will probably be children who will be affected most, if they are still on their parent's passports. Applying for a child's passport is quite quick and easy.

i thought the deadline has been pushed back to 26 oct 2005 now?
check the uk passport office

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/news/news.asp?intElement=808

and the UK is hoping to get the new biometirc passports during the middle of next year. so hopefully, noone from the Uk will need a Visa

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by phaedra
Hi Maggie :)

If your passport is renewed before the introduction of the Biometric version you will be able to use the visa waiver program for the life of the passport.
[/quote]

I understood from the USA and UK sites on this subject that UK MRP
will continue to be valid for visa-free travel providing they were issued before 26 October 2004. As mine expired in May 2005 I have just renewed mine(it only took a week by post)and it now expires in May, 2015.

If it prooves to be a problem I will change to a biometric one before it expires.

Maureen
http://www.orlandovillas.com/villaview.asp?villa=1267

Yes Mo thats right, except that the date is noe 26 October 2005 instead of 2004.

from whatyou can read on the UK passport website anyway

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by phaedra
Hi Maggie :)

If your passport is renewed before the introduction of the Biometric version you will be able to use the visa waiver program for the <span style="color:red">life of the passport.</span id="red">[/quote]

please can someone direct me to the web site that says this?

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/news/news.asp?intElement=808

this site tells you on this page

"My MRP is due for renewal Nov 05 so if I applied for a new one I would still have to apply for a visa because we are not ready until 06 to produce the 'proper' ones until then - and I'll believe that when I see it( it's probably outsourced work and will be a disaster - sorry ranting here I know)."

Maggie
The biometric implementation has been delayed for a year (they tried to get 2 year extension but Congress would only allow one). So if you apply for your new passport before Oct 2005 (the ruling states that NEW passports issued after that date must carry biometric data) then you wont have to worry about visa or biometrics for around 9/10 years.
You can renew your passport any time but they will credit only up to a maxiumum of 9 months, so if you were to renew around Feb/March 2005 then your new passport would be valid for 10 years 9 months from then.

What has confused the issue so much for many people is that there are 2 new regulations which (because they had already slipped the date for the requirement from Oct 2003 to Oct 2004) then, until the delay of the biometric, were both due to come into force this Oct.

As Carla said most adults should now have machine readable passports (I think it might be some old blue diplomatic ones I heard which were valid for longer.
Also since children have had to have their own passports for quite a few years now, it's only the ones who may still be travelling on their parents passports who need new ones but they must be getting near their expiry date I would imagine.

The article on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3698346.stm concerning fingerprinting people entering the USA quotes

"You will still however be able to enter the US on a non-biometric passport after 26 October, 2005, as long as the document was issued before this date. Theoretically, therefore, you could still use a non-biometric passport until it expires - possibly as late as 2015 - although the Americans may have changed the rules again by then."

Although my new passport expires in 2015 I would still be happy to change to a new biometric one before then if it makes entering the USA easier.

Maureen
http://www.orlandovillas.com/villaview.asp?villa=1267

Why dont they just micro-chip us all at birth and save all the form filling?:D

Just like we do with Dogs, Cats, Horses [msnsmile2]