All Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers issued a passport after October 26, 2006 must present an e-Passport to enter the United States under this Program which enables such travelers to enter the U.S. for up to 90 days for business or pleasure without obtaining a nonimmigrant visa.
E-Passports contain an individual’s biographic information and a digital photograph on a contactless chip embedded in the document. The 27 countries participating in the VWP include: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Any VWP traveler with a passport issued after October 26, 2006 who seeks to enter the United States under this program without an e-Passport will be refused admission and returned to their home country. Travelers should check with their countries’ passport issuing agencies to determine whether passports issued after October 26, 2006 will be compliant with the e-Passport regulations.
