UNCLAS STATE 272460

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: CVIS, CMGT
SUBJECT: POSTPONEMENT OF DEADLINE FOR MACHINE READABLE
PASSPORTS FOR TRAVELLERS FROM CERTAIN VISA WAIVER
COUNTRIES

1. THIS CABLE TRANSMITS THE TEXT OF A STATEMENT BY THE
DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN WHICH WAS RELEASED SEPTEMBER 24,
2003. POSTS MAY SHARE THE TEXT WITH HOST GOVERNMENTS,
MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC. FURTHER GUIDANCE WILL BE
TRANSMITTED SEPARATELY.

2. BEGIN TEXT:

THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS GRANTED A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL
OCTOBER 26, 2004, AS THE DATE BY WHICH VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
TRAVELERS FROM 21 COUNTRIES MUST PRESENT A MACHINE-
READABLE PASSPORT AT A U.S. PORT OF ENTRY TO BE ADMITTED
TO THE COUNTRY WITHOUT A VISA. THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
CONSULTED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BEFORE
MAKING THIS DECISION.

THE COUNTRIES FOR WHICH THE POSTPONEMENT HAS BEEN GRANTED
ARE: AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE,
GERMANY, ICELAND, IRELAND, ITALY, JAPAN, MONACO,
NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY, PORTUGAL, SAN MARINO,
SINGAPORE, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, AND THE UNITED
KINGDOM.

EACH COUNTRY TO WHICH THIS POSTPONEMENT WAS GRANTED MADE A
FORMAL REQUEST AND CERTIFIED THAT IT IS MAKING PROGRESS
TOWARD ENSURING THAT MACHINE READABLE PASSPORTS ARE
AVAILABLE TO ITS NATIONALS AND THAT IT HAS TAKEN
APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO PROTECT AGAINST MISUSE OF ITS NON-
MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS.

FIVE OTHER ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES DID NOT REQUEST A
POSTPONEMENT OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE, BECAUSE VIRTUALLY ALL
OF THEIR CITIZENS ALREADY HAVE MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS.
THOSE COUNTRIES ARE ANDORRA, BRUNEI, LIECHTENSTEIN,
LUXEMBOURG, AND SLOVENIA. AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2003, VISA
WAIVER TRAVELERS FROM THOSE FIVE COUNTRIES MUST PRESENT
EITHER A MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORT OR A UNITED STATES
VISA.

BELGIUM, WHICH IS ALSO A VISA WAIVER COUNTRY, WAS NOT
ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS EXTENSION. BELGIAN NATIONALS WHO
WISH TO TRAVEL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE VISA WAIVER
PROGRAM HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO PRESENT A MACHINE-READABLE
PASSPORT SINCE MAY 15, 2003. THIS REQUIREMENT WAS
STIPULATED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S REVIEW OF
BELGIUM'S CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VISA
WAIVER PROGRAM IN FEBRUARY 2003.

THE SECRETARY'S AUTHORITY TO POSTPONE THE EFFECTIVE DATE
FOR A VISA WAIVER COUNTRY'S CITIZENS TO PRESENT A MACHINE-
READABLE PASSPORT IS CONTAINED IN THE USA PATRIOT ACT,
WHICH LEGISLATED THE REQUIREMENT FOR VISA WAIVER
TRAVELERS.

CITIZENS OF 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 VISA.
END TEXT.