Pakistanis can travel to the US on a non-machine readable passport even after June 26, the deadline set by US authorities for visa waiver programme nations. "Pakistan is not a visa waiver country and Pakistani travellers may continue to use non-machine readable passports with valid US visas", said a news release issued by the US Embassy here on Monday. Following new rules being implemented by the US Department of Homeland Security, all travellers from countries under the visa waiver programme must carry a machine-readable passport.
The rule was enforced in October 2004 but to facilitate travellers, the Department's Customs and Border Protection Bureau had given officials at ports of entry the discretionary authority to grant one-time exemptions on case-by-case basis to visa waiver programme travellers without a visa or a machine-readable passport. However, the Department of Homeland Security will end this exemption policy and begin full enforcement of machine-readable passport requirements on June 26, 2005.
All travellers from visa waiver programme countries are urged to obtain machine-readable passports (or visa) prior to travel to the US. As of June 26, 2005, travellers without machine-readable passports (or a valid visa) may be denied entry to the US.
The June 26, 2005 machine-readable passport requirement applies only to citizens of US visa wavier programme countries.
Nationals of visa waiver programme countries may travel to the United States for up to 90 days to conduct business or tourism without a visa.
The requirements regarding machine-readable passports are not intended to discourage visa waiver programme nationals from travelling to the United States. Rather, this is the next step in increasing security at US ports of entry for the safety of US citizens and our foreign guests.
The United States welcomes international visitors and recognises their contributions to our country and society, the news release maintained.
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