The US embassy is still advising travellers whose passports are due to expire to renew them before October 26, despite the fact the US government is expected to change legislation scheduled to come into force on that date.

As it stands, US law requires all passports issued after October 26 to carry biometric data. Travellers to the US who do not have a biometric passport will have to get a visa to enter the country, direct from the embassy in London, Dublin or Belfast at a cost of £67 each.

The new law applies to all countries under the current visa waiver programme. However, as none of those countries have the technology in place to issue biometric passports, the US Congress is seeking a change in the law to postpone the deadline, to avoid an influx of visa applications at US embassies.

Despite this, the embassy is still advising travellers whose passports are due to expire to get them renewed before October 26. "There is no guarantee that this clause will be included or if the Bill will be passed. But what this does illustrate is a willingness and a desire to extend the deadline," said Lee McClenny, press attache at the US embassy in London.