Travel to the US

[Jonathan]

I've just heard through the grapevine that those people that do not have a bar code on their passport and are travelling to the US will be refused entry from 1 October this year.

Firstly, can anyone confirm that that is true?

It comes from a reputable source so I assume that it is - so why is there no general announcement? Anyone working for US customs and immigration be prepared for some seriously p!ssed off people in October.

They should look at the type of people that have these passports - who are they? Well me for one. Why do I not have a bar code? Because I am an ex-pat living abroad and the local embassy issued my passport when it expired last year.

I have already said to myself that I have no intention of going volunatrily to the US ever again - the only trouble that causes is that I want to go to Truk, Yap and Palau. To do that from Japan I have to transit Guam where even if you are just changing planes you have to clear US immigration - FTF! What a royal PITA!

When coming back from London recently I was approached by ground staff in the check in line and they asked me where I was travelling to (it was the general business class line). When I replied Tokyo and they spotted my English accent she sidled up to me and whispered "thanks! don't worry I'm looking for Americans!" My hunch is that she recently travelled to the US and got hassled by someone at the airport and wanted to return the compliment!

Happy travels!
Jonathan

 

[Phoenix]

Hmm hand't heard about that yet, im going over in august for three weeks hopfully, if the price of the flight drops a tad from £700, a bit cheeky if you ask me

As i recall most recent british passports have barcodes in them, i'm sure the last few times I have been abroad they just swiped it through a reader, i'll double check, saying that mine was issued at the passport office in London, not sure how behind embassys are at the moment

I better watchout for her at the airport though, being I tend to sound more american than I do british these days

 

[scuberd]

My passport is in the shop right now being renewed, so I don't know yet if it will have a bar code or not. It does sound kind of funny that customs would refuse someone because of that. Maybe, in Oct. they are changing the processes to that of bar code reading, but I hope that they don't refuse people with a valid passport because of a silly thing like that.

 

[kelpmermaid]

Check this out on the State Dept.'s website:

http://travel.state.gov/vwp.html

This is in reference to the Visa Waiver Program -- without the electronic reading capability, would they then require a visa? Maybe you should check directly with the source to see how it affects you in your situation.

 

[Jonathan]

I believe we would have to get a visa - what a hassle! Not to mention the cost when it is a valid passport.

Because of the amount of travel I do when I renewed my passport I baught the extra pages as well, so I am even more hacked off!

The Embassy (British) said there would be no travel restrictions due to no bar code - we are now seeing what they want to do about this reassurance....

 

[kelpmermaid]

the embassy could not have issued it with bar codes? Certainly, they should have the technology.

Could it have to do with Richard Reid, the shoe bomber?

 

[PaulB]

Could it have to do with Richard Reid, the shoe bomber?

Shhhhh!!! Don't say the "B" word!!

 

[Phoenix]

Well firstly the visa waiver programs really a bonus to those of us from the UK anyway, they dont have to really have such a program
its not all that expensive getting a visa, atleast not from the american embassy in london, i forget what it cost me to apply last time, not that much considering

so does this mean i wont have to fill in the pain in the ass green form every time?
probably not! lol


in regards to the reid bloke, I doubt it, he was from the mainland anyway, so if they were going to change the passports they would do it here not at the embassys, but you never know with the US/UK relationship lol

 

[raviepoo]

That's not cheeky. It's theft.

Where are you flying from / to? I can get from NY to London for less than 300$ or roughly £200.

Phoenix once bubbled...
Hmm hand't heard about that yet, im going over in august for three weeks hopfully, if the price of the flight drops a tad from £700, a bit cheeky if you ask me

 

[Phoenix]

lol yeah new yorks not usually that bad

im going to boise, which means a change at one of the major hubs, usually san francisco or o'hare, havn't found anything cheaper than £645 at the moment and thats with northwestern, and i hate northwestern! lol

waiting for uniteds prices to drop a tad
if they do!!