According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as of July
1, 2009, all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) emergency or temporary passports
must be electronic passports. Only individuals holding these
e-Passports will be able to travel to the U.S. under the VWP. Included
in this category are applicants who present for proof of identification
emergency or temporary passports. E-Passports contain integrated chips
that store biographic data, digitized photographs and other information
about the passport holders.
CBP notes that they have the right to exercise discretion at ports of
entry for cases in which VWP applicants are traveling to the U.S. for
medical or other “emergency” reasons. VWP applicants entering the U.S.
with passports that do not comply to this regulation (with the
exception of those that are traveling for emergency reasons and have
been given discretionary approval) may be detained for processing and
may potentially be denied admission to the U.S.
