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Originally Posted by Theodoric
The US government has shelved for 12 months the forthcoming requirement (26 October this year) for UK visitors with a machine-readable passport to have a visa.
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Noooooo you have it wrong. The proposed deadline extension is for biometric passports, not machine readable (MRP). They originally said everyone with a passport issued after 26/10/04 without biometric data would need a visa. Homeland Security and the State Department have ask Congress to approve an extension, but on the State Department's website, it doesn't even say it has been approved, it has merely been requested.
It says clearly "Does the extension change the oct. 26th MRP requirement? No". If you don't have an MRP (everyone should now technically, as the red passports have been issued for more than 10 years), it shouldn't mean any proper citizen needs a visa.
Everyone should read it and understand for themselves at the only site to go by, the US State Department (
http://travel.state.gov)
They seemed to have made another change: All Visa Waiver countries from Oct. onwards, will now go through the US-VISIT system. That means inkless fingerprints and photos from all VWP which is virtually everyone from this country. Before it used to be visa holders only.