Visiting the USA ? - Err.....

ICBM

bluechargeboy said:

@ICBM You are normally full of good ideas but lying to US Immigration officials is a really really bad idea!

How would they know? If you have a social media account which isn't connected to your real life - you know, like the ones terrorists are most likely to have - then it's difficult to see how they could find out.

On the other hand if you're the kind of person who likes to post what you had for breakfast, where you live and when you're going on holiday to the USA on social media, expect trouble.

Probably your house burgled by Americans while you're away...

bluechargeboy

Depends how good a liar you are I suppose! If they suspect something is up then you will have a bad day. They don't need evidence to refuse entry, they just need to not like the cut of your jib. This is why privacy campaigners stress that lying is a bad idea.

Of course the whole thing is primarily designed to remind us who is in charge. Israel don't do any of this stuff; they are too busy looking for terrorists!

octatonic

I’m in California now.

I ignored it question on the ESTA form, nothing happened when coming into the country.

octatonic

I’m in California now.

I ignored it question on the ESTA form, nothing happened when coming into the country.

SteveRobinson

stickyfiddle said:

SteveRobinson said:

They'll still take your mugshot and fingerprints as if you were a criminal though
https://www.immihelp.com/visas/usvisit.html

Like almost every country on earth does? Yes, I suppose

None of those I'd care to visit. I've never been fingerprinted to get in anywhere, not China, not Turkey. 

Emp_Fab

I don't get what their plan is.  If you just ignore the question, how will they ever know ?

Heartfeltdawn

stickyfiddle said:

I'll also be there in 3 weeks! Where are you going? 

Last time I went they took my passport off me at customs and made me sit for about 30 minutes. I assume it's because I'd just spent a lot of time in Saudi and they wanted to see if I got stressed/panicked, since I figure they've already run the necessary background checks during the ESTA process.

Hopefully this time will be fine, though now I have Russian stamps in the passport, so we'll see  

You'll be waved through, given a limousine with driver, and Melania will be over in the evening to give you a hot towel massage. 

Axe_meister

I would live to know what GCHQ think of my travel profile.
Saudi/Qatar/Dubai/Israel/US/Kazakstan all in the last 6 months

Sporky

Axe_meister said:

I would live to know what GCHQ think of my travel profile.
Saudi/Qatar/Dubai/Israel/US/Kazakstan all in the last 6 months

If they thought anything much of it you'd know, briefly. 

ICBM

Axe_meister said:

I would live to know what GCHQ think of my travel profile.
Saudi/Qatar/Dubai/Israel/US/Kazakstan all in the last 6 months

They probably just think you're working for the CIA, who don't tell them anything.

speshul91

Heartfeltdawn said:

stickyfiddle said:

I'll also be there in 3 weeks! Where are you going? 

Last time I went they took my passport off me at customs and made me sit for about 30 minutes. I assume it's because I'd just spent a lot of time in Saudi and they wanted to see if I got stressed/panicked, since I figure they've already run the necessary background checks during the ESTA process.

Hopefully this time will be fine, though now I have Russian stamps in the passport, so we'll see  

You'll be waved through, given a limousine with driver, and Melania will be over in the evening to give you a hot towel massage. 

Where do I sign up? 

chillidoggy

SteveRobinson said:

stickyfiddle said:

SteveRobinson said:

They'll still take your mugshot and fingerprints as if you were a criminal though
https://www.immihelp.com/visas/usvisit.html

Like almost every country on earth does? Yes, I suppose

None of those I'd care to visit. I've never been fingerprinted to get in anywhere, not China, not Turkey. 

So, why moan about US Immigration procedures when you have no intention of going to the States?

Emp_Fab

chillidoggy said:

So, why moan about US Immigration procedures when you have no intention of going to the States?

Are you sure you're a middle-aged British man ?

chillidoggy

Emp_Fab said:

chillidoggy said:

So, why moan about US Immigration procedures when you have no intention of going to the States?

Are you sure you're a middle-aged British man ?

Absolutely, and I assure you that I'm able to hold my own against the best of them when it comes to moaning about US Immigration but these days I find there's so much to moan about in general that I've had no other choice but to become a more efficient moaner, selectively targeting particular items and issues.

fandango

chillidoggy said:

Emp_Fab said:

chillidoggy said:

So, why moan about US Immigration procedures when you have no intention of going to the States?

Are you sure you're a middle-aged British man ?

Absolutely, and I assure you that I'm able to hold my own against the best of them when it comes to moaning about US Immigration but these days I find there's so much to moan about in general that I've had no other choice but to become a more efficient moaner, selectively targeting particular items and issues.

... and we welcome Mr Meldrew to the forum ....

chillidoggy

fandango said:

chillidoggy said:

Emp_Fab said:

chillidoggy said:

So, why moan about US Immigration procedures when you have no intention of going to the States?

Are you sure you're a middle-aged British man ?

Absolutely, and I assure you that I'm able to hold my own against the best of them when it comes to moaning about US Immigration but these days I find there's so much to moan about in general that I've had no other choice but to become a more efficient moaner, selectively targeting particular items and issues.

... and we welcome Mr Meldrew to the forum ....

Oi!

Fucking youth of today. I dunno, bring back National Service, that's what I say.

SteveRobinson

chillidoggy said:

SteveRobinson said:

stickyfiddle said:

SteveRobinson said:

They'll still take your mugshot and fingerprints as if you were a criminal though
https://www.immihelp.com/visas/usvisit.html

Like almost every country on earth does? Yes, I suppose

None of those I'd care to visit. I've never been fingerprinted to get in anywhere, not China, not Turkey. 

So, why moan about US Immigration procedures when you have no intention of going to the States?

@chillidoggy the immigration procedures are the reason I won't go. I have family there and quite like the place in general. I've been to the States a dozen or more times, but not at all since 2001.

rocktron

USA Immigration Procedures. . . what's so bad about it?

The entire process is automated now, except for one manual check at the exit. No Immigration Form filling is required.

When I arrived at JFK in December 2017, on a single machIne, 
I scanned my passport,
had left and right index finger prints taken,
had a portrait picture taken,
answered a few basic questions on the touch screen, and
had a Customs Card printed.

For elderly visitors, and technophobes, TSA staff are readily available to help. 

When leaving the Immigration Hall, an officer asked a few basic questions - how many days I would be staying - who am I visiting - what is the purpose of my visit - and stamped my passport.   

Quite painless really, and much quicker than previously when there were Immigration Officers manning the 30 or so exit bays.   

Getting through Customs was doddle, but it has always been so for Brits on the Visa Waiver Program arriving directly from the UK.

I fail to see why these procedures should put anyone off from visiting the USA.  

chillidoggy

I went in through Fort Lauderdale last year, went through the automated system, then had to go through the immigration booths AS WELL. Took us an hour to get through.

vasselmeyer

I ignored it on my recent ESTA renewal as it was optional. I don't have a Facebook account, have Twitter but never use it to Tweet and the same on Reddit. Does The Fretboard count?

US immigration is massively improved these days and is almost completely automated (certainly in Seattle which was the most recent route I took). The officers in Chicago were notoriously obnoxious and I deliberately avoided flying through there after standing in queues for four hours and then getting the third degree by TSA officers on power trips.

I've got plenty of stamps from Russia, Saudi, Dubai and South Africa in my passport and the automated system just passed me through. Approval is all done before your ESTA is granted anyway.