PEOPLE are being warned to check their passports if they plan to travel to the US in the coming months.
All travellers wishing to enter the US under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) now need to hold a passport with an integrated chip - an ePassport.
Your passport is an ePassport if it carries this internationally recognised symbol on the front cover.
Under the US government guidelines anyone travelling after 1 April 2016 requires an electronic passport.
It comes amidst even tighter security following recent terrorist attacks.
The changes will affect about 2.7 million Britons issued with passports between April and October 2006, who will not be able to travel to the US unless they update their travel documents.
EPassports - also known as biometric passports - were first introduced in March 2006. They were introduced gradually throughout 2006.
The ePassports introduced a new design with additional security features, including a chip with the holder’s facial biometric.
From October 4, 2010, Identity and Passport Service (IPS) offices across the United Kingdom started to issue a new style, ePassport to UK nationals.
The personal details page (which includes the photograph) and the observations page were moved to the front.
The electronic chip, which includes the same information as printed on the personal data page, is in the back cover.
The idea behind the new design is that it would be difficult for criminals to forge or clone your passport with the new security features in place.
Already travellers have been denied boarding because of the new requirements, including Vic Ryan from Lincoln, who posted details of his ordeal earlier this week on Facebook.
He wrote: “I was supposed to be on a flight travelling to Florida for a holiday with my family booked through Thomson's, we saved long and hard for this holiday and filled in all the necessary online forms including API and ESTAs only a couple of weeks ago only to turn up at the check in desk to be advised that I would not be allowed to travel as I did not have a biometric passport whilst the rest of our family had them, despite calls to the USA from the lady on check in they would not permit travel.”
VIC RYAN VIA FACEBOOK
Have you been affected by the changes? E mail melanie.wallwork@nqnw.co.uk
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