[Monolith]

Just received the following from a good friend:

"Took forever to get through the massive queue that is passport control, finally arriving at the desk, the conversation between the passport officer and I went like this:

Me: Here's my passport
Passport Officer: What is your duration of stay sir?
M: 90 days
PO: Why so long?
M: I'm visiting my girlfriend and I want to stay as long as the visa allows, which is 90 days. Here is her address.
PO: Right...would you step into this office, Sir?

With that I was ushered into a small unmarked room with about a dozen foreigners, and I knew I was in trouble. After waiting about half an hour, I was taken into another room, then interrogated quite strongly about what I was doing and why i was trying to get into the US. I thought my visa was not up to date or something, but that wasn't the problem. My papers were fine, as the little green slip I signed on the flight in gave me 90 days in the country.

Another hour passed, and I knew Carrie was on the other side of the wall, waiting for me. I was moved into another room with a computer and they asked how much money I had with me, I said $1000 with me and another 1000 in my bank. They said that wasn't enough for the time I was spending there...and that they thought I need to find work illegally in order to get some money. It was their job to stop me doing that, even though I had no intention.

One of the officers began to type up on the computer with the heading 'Refusal of Entry' I asked if I was being sent home...he said 'Yes, we are trying to get you on the next plane home as we think you don't have enough money to stay here for the length of time you planned'...

I was dumbfounded, couldn't believe what I was hearing. I panicked, asking them if I could change my time there, but no, they couldn;t be sure I was going to return on the date planned, so they were going to send me home and minimise risk.

(Sent home)

Still reeling from it, the next day I phoned up the embassy and tried to find out what I had to do for the Visitors Visa, as I was now exempt from the little green slip which entitled me to a holiday. They said applications for visas begin in April, where I have to pay £100 and go down to London for a formal interview, which could take anything from 5 days to 16 weeks to process...Even then, there no assurance of me getting one. Just to twist the knife, I phoned the holiday company who denied me a refund as they had provided the flights anyway. Pissed away £410. Also when changing my American dollars back to Pounds? I lost another 50 quid in the exchange rate."

What a fucking joke. Are they seriously allowed to get away with this!?

[Nibile]

a farewell to human rights, especially the right to be considered innocent until otherwise proven.
im disgusted, but these things are to be known.

[irish si]

Yeah you (your mate) made a few mistakes by telling them what you did.  Firstly you are an 'emotional' liability because you wanna go and hang out with your girlfriend for as you put it 'as long as possible.' There is a great risk of you saying fuck it and staying there.  Secondly you should have told them that you had a LOT more cash that this, such as a credit card which you should have shown them.  No one in immigrations eyes can live for three months on 2000 dollars (even though we climbers know that we all can, just about though to be honest).

Immigration officers have more power than judges.  They can make an immediate decision based on the maintainance of US security and risk of overstay.  They dont actually even need a reason to send you home.  They can do it on a whim.

My advice to everyone travelling in this day and age is to learn a bit about things like immigration before you travel.  Look online and read what people say about what you should say to the officers.  There are plenty of sites, I know Ive read them all.

[Monolith]

Aye, good points there Si. I'm pretty sure that if it was me going, I would have done a bit of research in this department, especially considering it's a 3 month trip. Such a shame his trip has been thwarted by this. Amazing to think immigration officers sit atop of judges in these decisions, although I suppose it makes sense in terms of avoiding needless (?) bureacracy.

A tough lesson learnt I'm sure.

[Nibile]

or he could have said "i come to crush V14's, you dumbass, i didnt train for the last 6 months for nothing"

[Idol eyes]

The exact same thing happened to me when i went, went through all that bully, this fat yank sez "how much cash have you got" pulled out some faked statements ( only had £500.00) "whats the purpose of your visit" blah blah, he was just about to decline me, when a colluge of his walks in spots 100 lt ruck sack empty and climbing paraphernalia everywhere, and sez "hey man, you a rock climber? where you going to?) I just regurgitated every crag i know, followed by "If your (fat burger headed doughnut breathed anal retentive cock smoking) colleague Vito's me", "hell hank, woncha give the guy a break? these guys live of a dollar a day". got passed and headed straight for the valley.
However, stayed for 10 months, so kind of could justify it if i was knocked back by them. What happens in the states, stays in the states....

[Tommy]

Man, I really feel for you. I've taken a lot of trips out to California over the last 10yrs and definitely noticed a trend in the attitudes of the passport/immagration control. It's got harder and harder for me, to the extent that I just lie about the money I have and what I'm doing to avoid the hassle.

2yrs ago I was travelling out with my girlfriend (her 1st trip to States) and she got through absolutely fine in front of me. The officer took exception to me and asked for me to go through to the back office area. Kind of like a dental waiting room, with lots of different nationalities waiting for their judgement. I saw some absolutely disgusting behaviour in that area. Their was an Indian couple in their 70s who really hadn't a clue what was going on and were very concerned about their son meeting them on the other side. All the officers did was take the piss out of their accents and tell them that their situation was their own fault. Er?! Also another guy in their went up the front desk saying in a loud voice that it was rediculous that they had detained him and he was missing business meetings all because the pen his pocket had slipped inside his passport and drawn across one of the pages. They weren't happy with his back-chat so one of the officers called on his CB radio a a few of them rushed in a leg-cuffed him to the waiting chair! Funny, if their behaviour wasn't so pathetic. I eventually got interview and just grovelled a bit, to which they granted me access to the country.

Anyway, it's all a big pain in the arse really. The US (and in particular their law enforcement officers) make me sick and it's only the absolute quality climbing that keeps me going back. Otherwise, I'd never go there ever again. I've got plenty of friends out there who are absolutely great, but the process of getting into the country each time just puts me off. The again, I expect the non-EU members have just as much grief getting into the UK...

[Monolith]

Their was an Indian couple in their 70s who really hadn't a clue what was going on and were very concerned about their son meeting them on the other side. All the officers did was take the piss out of their accents and tell them that their situation was their own fault. Er?! Also another guy in their went up the front desk saying in a loud voice that it was rediculous that they had detained him and he was missing business meetings all because the pen his pocket had slipped inside his passport and drawn across one of the pages. They weren't happy with his back-chat so one of the officers called on his CB radio a a few of them rushed in a leg-cuffed him to the waiting chair!

All of that makes me feel sick, but hardly surprised. Nick (my friend) is one of the most amiable people I know, and to think even he couldn't use his powers of reason to bypass the situation is pretty insane. As Si has mentioned, you simply have to do your homework on US customs/airports prior to departure. I dread to think of some of the scenarios that have arisen in taking bouldering mats there (if this is possible?). French customs were bad enough!

I think I'm more infuriated than he is actually, but none of this will get him the money and time back.

[SA Chris]

Having endured the visa entry process twice (the above is reasonably mild compared to getting in on a temporary work visa) I feel for your mate. Worth mentioning it, avoid going via Houston as it is the hub for a lot of flights from Caribbean and Latin America, so customs is pretty harsh.

Not surprised your mate got nothing back from holiday company, onus is on him to make entry arrangements.

And mentioning a girlfriend was not a good idea; friend (no gender) is a better bet. Or staying with relatives for that matter.

[Johnny Brown]

A mate of mine went over regularly to visit his girlfriend, each time they made it more and more awkward, until one of them told him in no uncertain terms, 'Listen Sonny, either shit or get off the potty.'

[Idol eyes]

America has bombed 50 countries since WW2.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

The US can seemingly do pretty much what it likes. Watched that 9/11 prog last night then watched 'Loose Change' online which it quoted lots (and tried to debunk in the main) both good progs, before anyone starts I don't agree with many of the conspirarcy theorists claims, however there is definately some weird shit going on, specifically two things don't add up for me, the lack of damage to the pentagon, and the whole 'Building 7' business. 

[Idol eyes]

The conviction for me was the film by Alex Jones, on the Oklahoma bombing, pure evil... we are becoming a one world order. Bush is a kin to Hitler, they want the world... and we are the product.

[lorentz]

septics....?

merchants....

 

(all the obvious exceptions apply)