BanjoRay - thanks for spelling it out so clearly. The policy still makes no sense whatsoever though. My passport was only issued last year so I've got almost 9yrs of visa-free travel to the US available. If my wife's ppt expired this November, she would have to queue at the US Embassy for a visa to accompany me (no postal applications allowed!). What an insane policy - how the hell is this supposed to stop the terrorists? What on earth is happening in the US? Probably better just to stay away - I hear Eastern Europe is very cheap, has some stunning architecture, history and countryside - and as most of it will soon be in the EU, no visas will be required after May this year. So the choice is visas, long-haul flight, fingerprinting, iris scanning, being treated as a criminal on arrival, or a short hop into Sofia, Budapest etc. Hmmm... let me think about that before I book my summer hols......