Bush Inks Biometric Passport Deadline Extension

President George W. Bush yesterday signed into law legislation extending by 12 months the October 2004 deadline requiring passengers from visa waiver countries to have passports containing biometric information that can be scanned by computer.

"This is a significant accomplishment for the travel and tourism industry as it will help ensure that travelers from visa waiver program countries who planned to visit the U.S. this fall don't cancel their plans to come here whether for business or pleasure," said Jonathan Tisch, chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable and chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels.

TBR had warned that not all passport offices in participating visa waiver countries were equipped to issue the proper passports demanded by the United States. It said enforcing a deadline for the program to be implemented this year would disrupt legitimate business and leisure travel and lead to a decline in visitors from those countries.