Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
09 May 2016 09:33
A biometric passport with an information leaflet
British holidaymakers are being warned: you won't be allowed into the US unless you have a biometric passport.
The advice comes a month after new rules governing entry into the country were introduced.
Authorities estimate that upwards of three million UK travellers could be affected by the rule change.
The people at risk are believed to be ones with UK passports issued from April-October 10 years ago.
This was before the new maroon biometric passports came into being.
Six million electronic chip-embedded "e-passports" are dished out every year.
The new requirement comes under the provisions of the Visa Waiver Programme Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act 2015.
It applies to British visitors and those from 37 other countries included in the Visa Waiver Programme's (VWP) list of qualifying nations.
The initiative ensures that qualifying visitors to the US can stay there for no more than a 90-day period.
Travel document doldrums
US Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) call for Britons to check their passports emphasises once again how important these travel documents are to tourists.
It can cause travellers dear if they forget to take them to the airport.
But taking out trusted travel insurance can help since it provides cover for lost travel documents, such as passports.
What CBP says
It claims the new rule alteration should not come as a great surprise to most people - providing they have kept their old email addresses.
A spokeswoman says that it posted emails to visa applicants with out-of-date passports advising them of the switch. It also put details of the new law on its website.
She says that the agency wants British holidaymakers and business travellers to check out their passports to ensure they are not at risk of being turned back.
What if travellers have not got an e-passport?
It's not the end of the world - as long as people follow the CBP advice.
US-bound UK travellers need to get non-immigrant visas instead.
The Home Office's website says applicants can get one from nearby US consulates or embassies.
22 September 2017
A new computer code that can be applied to GP surgery data could be the answer to identifying those most at risk of developing bowel cancer.
[more...]
21 September 2017
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning over a growing resistance to antibiotics.
20 September 2017
Thousands of Ryanair flights have been cancelled over the next six weeks, as the airline says it "messed up" allocation of its pilots' annual leave.
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.
07 September 2017
Whether it's binge-watching box-sets, shopping for clothes, chatting to friends or picking up work emails, staying connected is pretty much essential to everyday life.