Powell calls for delaying 'biometric' passports deadline

Under 2002 legislation aimed at enhancing border security and immigration regulations after the September 11, 2001, attacks, countries whose citizens can enter the United States without a visa must issue "biometric" passports by October 26.

Otherwise, the visitors must apply for a US visa.

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The current law requires countries in the so-called "visa waiver program" to issue passports with "biometric indicators" -- computer chips with a digitally encoded record of the bearer's face and possibly fingerprints -- for their citizens to continue to be eligible for the scheme.