The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will enforce the new policy at the entry points, Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson said October 22 as he briefed reporters in Washington about the policy change. The United States is requiring machine-readable passports because they are considered more secure documents and less subject to falsification.
Anticipating that some visitors from the 22 affected VWP nations might not have the new high-tech documents when they appear at the border, Hutchinson said that immigration officials are permitted to grant a one-time exemption to this policy and allow travelers entry without MRPs or visas in their passports.
Source - USINFO
