Caro

I thought it was only people using VWP who were required to have the new machine-readable passport. It is my understanding that people traveling with green cards or on visas are not required to have those even after October 2004.

My passport was done on the spot in 10 mins too. You just have to check the info, and then they put it in the printer (neat to watch!) put the picture, stamps, and security thingies. It is done really fast.

Caroline

Shussbar

    >I thought it was only people using VWP who were required to
    >have the new machine-readable passport. It is my understanding that
    >people traveling with green cards or on visas are not required to have
    >those even after October 2004.

C est aussi ce que je pense. Ces nouveaux passeports sont uniquement pour les
touristes , pas les residents ou possesseurs de visa. Enfin, a verifer quand
meme...
    >My passport was done on the spot in 10
    >mins too. You just have to check the info, and then they put it in the
    >printer (neat to watch!) put the picture, stamps, and security thingies.
    >It is done really fast.

Same here. Good job!

vinnic

Thanks for pointing this out. I checked the consular web site and it looks like this is true. There are probably still quite a few people with green cards or visas that have a valid older format passport and can travel like you mentioned above. I did also see on the web site that the consulates are not issuing the older format any longer though, so this is why my husband applied for the newer format. I would assume everyone will eventually have the newer format as their older passports expire over time. (Again, the consulate said that they would be able to issue us an emergency passport if we needed it for immigration purposes, i.e. the stamp, though.)


http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org/main_formalites.htm

Shussbar

    >There are probably
    >still quite a few people with green cards or visas that have a valid
    >older format passport and can travel like you mentioned above.

Just did that last xmas.

yes, Eventually we will all have the new one.

Where is your husband from?
Are you guys in Chicago? Since when?

vinnic

My husband is from Paris, and I'm from Detroit, where we live now. We both like Chicago though! We've gone there quite a few times together. Where are you from in France? Do you live in Chicago now?

Shussbar

    >Where are you from in France?
I am from Voiron, 25000 people, 25 km from Grenoble in the Alps.

Do you live in Chicago now?

20 miles south in the suburbs.

vinnic

No, we are still in the Detroit area for now. Haven't really been through many of the suburbs of Chicago - just more or less in the city itself. Voiron looks like a beautiful place from their web site. I've only been to the Paris area, but I would very much like to see this area of France - especially the Alps. (I would like to see the entire country as well someday).

vinnic

Just wanted to post an update that we picked up my husband's new machine-readable passport last week at the French Consulate in Chicago. He applied for it back in February and was told they would contact us as soon as it arrived from France. After not hearing anything from the consulate for almost five months, we contacted them and they've had it for some time (issue date of May 2004). At least he has it now and he's all set - he was able to keep his old expired passport too without any problems.

Hypertweeky

CONGRATS!!
I have to renew mine next year.. Hope it doesn't take that long
Take care!