Florida Homes & Travel

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement it will ’impose an Oct 26, 2006 deadline for the integrated circuit chip, or e-passport, capable of storing the biographic information from the data page, a digitized photograph and other biometric information in travel documents.’

’The electronic passport is the path to secure and streamlined travel among Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries,’ Chertoff said.

’These passport requirements will maintain and strengthen the integrity of the Visa Waiver program in a manner consistent with congressional intent and international standards.’

To ease compliance, he added, Homeland Security will ’create a validation process for VWP countries to test their e-passport prior to issuance.’

Posted on 17 June 2005