This means that passports will record biological features of the holder.
The United States has said passports issued after 26 October 2004, to people planning to enter the US, must be biometric compliant.
Irish citizens already in possession of a machine-readable passport, and entering the US under the 'Visa Waiver' programme, will not be affected.
Britain has said that it will not be able to meet the October deadline, but Irish officials say that they are ready to have such a facility in place in time to meet the US deadline.
