Important BUCLD travel info for nationals of countries other than USA, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda

BUCLD langconf at bu.edu
Tue Oct 4 13:42:08 UTC 2005


DO YOU HAVE A MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORT OR VISA?

The USA has changed its entry procedures as of June 26, 2005 for 
nationals of 27 countries (see below) who used to be able to enter the 
USA without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program.  As of June 26, 
nationals from those countries are only able to enter without a visa if 
they have a machine-readable passport.  If they do not have a 
machine-readable passport, they have to obtain a non-immigrant visa for 
entry to the USA, from a US consulate or embassy abroad. If you don't 
have either (1) a machine-readable passport, or (2) a non-machine 
readable passport and a non-immigrant visa to the USA, it looks like 
you will not be allowed to board the plane at your point of origin 
(there's a $3300 per person fine for any airline that allows someone to 
board that doesn't meet these requirements).

The 27 countries are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, 
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, 
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, 
Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, 
United Kingdom.

Note that citizens of Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda are not affected by 
this regulation - they do not require machine-readable passports to 
enter the USA.  Nothing is mentioned about citizens of other countries 
than these 30 - please check regulations carefully.

Full information on the new regulations is available at: 
http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#2



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