<<snip>> > Real serious issues seem to be waved away. To my opinion, one > threat to the international nature of the IETF are the continuous > increasing difficulties entering the US. This morning I read in the > local papers that starting the 25th of october the Visa-Waiver > program will grind to a halt for (most) Europeans. > > jaap > This depends on whether your passport issuing authority is getting it together with some new requirements for machine readability. See (e.g.) http://stockholm.usembassy.gov/Consulate/mr_passports.html Summarizing: if you get a new passport on or after 26 Oct 2005, the Visa Waiver Program will only apply if the passport includes machine readable biometric data embedded in a 'contactless' chip (facial recognition data apparently). This doesn't apply if your passport is already machine readable (ie. Most current European passports) and is issued before 26 Oct 2005. Otherwise you will need to go through the hassle of getting a visa. The last paragraph of the web page above indicates that 'several' European governments won't be ready by 26 Oct. So if your passport which previously gave you access to the VWP is close to expiry (or like mine getting close to full) it might be good to renew it before the critical date. Given the current level of paranoia and the extreme politics of fear which the US government is currently using to justify its actions, it is unclear how long it will be before non-biometric passports will be totally disallowed, but getting a new passport soon could give you a few extra months of lower hassle. It will be interesting (but doubtless frustrating) to see what this does to US immigration throughput when it is introduced. Regards, Elwyn > _______________________________________________ > Ietf mailing list > Ietf@xxxxxxxx > https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf