
Country / Territory
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in Phoenix, AZ
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in Phoenix, AZ
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in Phoenix, AZ
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
United States
Starting April 1, 2016, all eligible Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers, including infants and children, must present an e-Passport – a passport that contains an electronic chip and is machine-readable – when entering the United States. The requirement is one of a range of enhanced VWP security measures that were enacted in December 2015.
E-Passports have been required of most VWP travelers for several years, and all VWP member countries issue them. However, travelers whose passports were issued before October 26, 2006 may not meet the new standard and therefore they may need to obtain a new passport to continue using the VWP after March 31, 2016.
An e-Passport can be identified by an international symbol on the front cover. E-Passports contain an integrated computer chip that stores the passport holder’s biographic data, a biometric identifier, a digital signature and a unique chip identification number. The data on the chip include two lines of machine-readable information and facial recognition details. The chip can be scanned to match the passport to the identity of the traveler.
The e-Passport requirement applies only to VWP travelers. Foreign nationals who hold a U.S. visa are not required to present an e-Passport when entering the United States.
What This Means for Foreign Nationals
If you are a Visa Waiver Program traveler, now is the time to check your passport to make sure it meets program requirements. If your passport does not bear the international e-Passport symbol on the front cover, you will need to obtain a new passport in order to travel under the VWP after March 31. If you do not obtain an e-Passport by April 1, you may need to postpone planned VWP travel or obtain a B-1/B-2 visa from a U.S. consulate to enter the United States for business or tourism.
For more information on the new VWP security requirements – including restrictions on travel to certain “countries of concern” – make sure to review Fragomen’s detailed FAQ.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
© 2016 Fragomen
Country / Territory
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in Phoenix, AZ
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in Phoenix, AZ
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in Phoenix, AZ
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
Explore more at Fragomen
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Blocker, Senior Counsel Mitchell Wexler and Associate Alex Kim discuss what prospective EB-5 applicants should know now, including source-of-funds documentation, project selection, concurrent filing, retrogression and upcoming program deadlines.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Jo Antoons and Senior Manager Marina Ocariz discuss the EU’s provisional agreement on revised social security coordination rules and what employers should know about the expected changes to A1 certificate requirements, posted worker rules and short-term cross-border work compliance.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.
Media mentions
In this profile published in Michigan Law’s Law Quadrangle, Counsel Christopher Wendt discusses the role of immigration in supporting the US healthcare workforce and expanding access to civil legal aid in Minnesota.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Blocker, Senior Counsel Mitchell Wexler and Associate Alex Kim discuss what prospective EB-5 applicants should know now, including source-of-funds documentation, project selection, concurrent filing, retrogression and upcoming program deadlines.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Jo Antoons and Senior Manager Marina Ocariz discuss the EU’s provisional agreement on revised social security coordination rules and what employers should know about the expected changes to A1 certificate requirements, posted worker rules and short-term cross-border work compliance.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.
Media mentions
In this profile published in Michigan Law’s Law Quadrangle, Counsel Christopher Wendt discusses the role of immigration in supporting the US healthcare workforce and expanding access to civil legal aid in Minnesota.
