VISA WAIVER PROGRAM: AUSTRIA PLANS TO EXTEND

UNCLAS VIENNA 003383

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR CA/VO/F/P - DLOPES DA ROSA;
EUR/AGS - VVIKMANIS KELLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS CMGT PREL AU
SUBJECT: VISA WAIVER PROGRAM: AUSTRIA PLANS TO EXTEND
THE VALIDITY OF MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS

REF: A) STATE 125862, B) STATE 111324, C) VIENNA 2646,
D) VIENNA 3064


1. The Ministry of Interior told Embassy informally
that Austria is planning on a new approach to meet the
October 26, 2005 deadline. (Travelers with valid
machine-readable passports issued prior to 10/26/05 are
not subject to biometric requirements, and would not be
required to obtain visas). The GOA plans to introduce
legislation that would allow machine-readable passports
to be amended beyond the original date of expiration,
meaning that the passports issued prior to 10/26/05
would remain valid, only the expiration date would be
extended for one year. Once the legislation is enacted
by Parliament, the expiration date could be amended
upon individual application at every passport issuing
office throughout Austria.


2. Since Austria only began issuing machine-readable
passports early in 1996, the first group of travelers
benefiting from this measure would be holders of
passports that expire in January 2006. Austrian
officials realize that this measure would not/not
affect the old-style non-machine readable passports
that will be phased out by December 31, 2005, whose
bearers would in any case require visas to travel to
the U.S. now.


3. As reported in Reftel D, Austria expects to be able
to meet Level 2 compliance by March 2006.

Van Voorst