09/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - When it comes to biometric passports, the United Stats could show proof of flexibility as announced by Secretary for Homeland Security Michael Chertoff during his stay in Brussels. American sources say that the law making biometric passports compulsory from 26 October on for countries that do not benefit from visa exemption may be interpreted in a broad manner for now, making it an obligation for passports to have this new technology only if issued after 26 October 2005. This interpretation would allow the fifteen Member States benefiting from the visa exemption (the 15 old States minus Greece plus Slovenia) to have enough time to obtain these passports by end 2006, as foreseen by the JHA Council, while avoiding having to make most of their citizens going to the USA request a visa.