New passport rules for Britons flying to America

[PAXboy]

This may well have been covered before and many regulars may know about it already but:

A rule change, quietly introduced last month, obliges anyone seeking to visit America without a visa to have a biometric passport.

What you need to know about the new passport rules for Britons flying to America | News & Advice | Travel | The Independent

[DaveReidUK]

Hopefully the requirement is only to have an ePassport, not necessarily one where the chip actually works properly.

Exiled in limbo after the chip on his ID Card/Passport failed. - When IT Meets Politics

[Donkey497]

There was a reminder on the ESTA website the last time I renewed it that the ePassport requirement would be mandatory from the start of last month and to check your passport before you renewed it.

I did remark at the time that it was unusually helpful and informative for a Government website...........

[ExXB]

It's not just Btitons it is everyone (except for some aboriginal North Americans crossing from Canada) if your passport doesn't have a chip you are on Niagra Creek without a paddle.

[philbky]

Epassports have been issued to UK citizens from early 2006. Passports last ten years though they can be extended by 6 months so this will not be a problem from early 2017 for the estimated 3 million old style passport holders. Applies to citizens of 38 countries which have visa waiver requirements unless threy hold a visa.

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by philbky

Epassports have been issued to UK citizens from early 2006. Passports last ten years though they can be extended by 6 months so this will not be a problem from early 2017 for the estimated 3 million old style passport holders. Applies to citizens of 38 countries which have visa waiver requirements unless threy hold a visa.

Indeed, I was issued an old style passport literally days before the cut off in 2006. I wasn't aware of this until I renewed mine and my sister sent hers off about a week later. I got a non chipped passport, she got a chipped one. Quite annoying for me, but I've since replaced the passport with a more modern offering.

Interesting article posted above. The UK border force aren't the only ones which seem to warn people about not being able to enter the USA on arrival into the UK. I was crossing from Moldova to Ukraine last year, with my old passport. Being 9 years old and used in about 30 odd countries, it had seen better days of course, but was still fully intact and readable, only the wording on the front cover had worn off. The Finnish border guard (from the EU Border mission) told me I'd not be able to enter the USA with this passport. I pointed out I'd been there not even 1 month previously but he was adamant that it was not in good enough condition to enter the USA. Quite what that had to do with me going to Ukraine was a mystery, but he still felt like telling me off about it.