Machine Readable Passport Requirement On Hold for 21 Countries

Citizens of the so-called “Visa Waiver Program” countries are permitted to enter the United States for general business or tourist purposes for a maximum of 90 days without needing a B visa. In part due to national security issues, that rule was scheduled to change effective October 1, 2003. Under the proposed change, a person would have been allowed to use the Visa Waiver Program only if he or she held a machine readable passport. If there was not machine readable passport, then the visitor would have been required to apply for a B visa, a potentially time-consuming process.