No visa going to USA

SH

Hey,
I am heading off the usa without a visa for 3 months. can anyone tell me the truth about what they are really like going through customs???

[This message has been edited by SH (edited 31-05-2001).]

[This message has been edited by SH (edited 31-05-2001).]

adnans

have you ever played cs_747 ? well its kinda like that but they have all the cool weapons.

adnans

bugler

ROFFLE MAYO.

Plyd Adnans

SH

anything more specific guys??? :-)

Hobbes

3 months is a holiday... Say "Holiday" (if they ask) do not say "I plan to work during those 3 months".

Don't even joke about weapons, bombs, terrorism, counterstrike, etc. I'm serious. To anyone.

Otherwise it's just like normal customs. If they don't let you in, odds on they were probably right.

SH

thanks hobby, although of course i wasnt going to say i work, but i have heard off people being put in a room being interragated for hours! Is this true?

DeVore

And this is related to Counterstrike exactly how?

DeVore.

SH

DeVore.
It automatically defaluted under this topic, so go and annoy someone else. Thanks

Ooooooo Bad move !

[fist]Pi$$er

Taz, yr like 12 right? they aint gonna look twice at u, my full cavity search coming from Mainland China was a different story though.

[fist]Pi$$er

Oi, yr not Taz, wtf?

Shinji

Topic moved to After Hours since it has precisely nothing to do with CS.

bats

you'll be grand-just try not to look unusual ie. don't have spiky hair or facial tattoos. Oh, and don't carry a copy of your cv just in case-email it to yourself.

Oh and what hobbes said about terrorist jokes x10 :0)

Draco

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by SH:
thanks hobby, although of course i wasnt going to say i work, but i have heard off people being put in a room being interragated for hours! Is this true?</font>

It can happen if they think that you are a possible illegal immigrant. Happened to my brother.

Hobbes

Yep that can happen, although it would normally happen on the other end of the flight with a prelude to getting shipped back.

US Customs are in Ireland though so it won't be like your trapped in the US or anything.

SH

but hobbes, im flying from britain, so i wont get to customs till USa so i couldnt be stranded!!!! oops

Shiminay

Dude - they must have customs people in Britan too!

Anyway, everyone's pretty much covered it - don't talk crap. Don't look like a mong. You're on a holiday - back it up by having a camera or a "touring the USA" kinda touristy book. Don't go overboard - they'll think you're up to something.
Also, remember that they're more than likely American, so this will mean they're not regular people like you or I - bare with them when they don't laugh at your jokes or they start talking about how their postman's lover's dog is a transexual prostitute who lives in a cardboard box and stuff - this is their normality

One more thing - don't tell the Administrator of this website to annoy someone else - he's obviously in a good mood cause you're still here

*nice DeVore wanna bicky?*

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All the best!
Dav
@B^)
We were all set for a game of Ice Hockey when Frank Williams says "Sorry lads, I've forgotten my skates!"
[honey i] violated [the kids]
Tribes 2 Goodness
The Dawn of the Beefy King approaches...

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Lump

Say you're fundraising for the IRA I'd say they'd even give you free accomidation for that.


John

Victor

SErious first, but funny at the end.

First off. I don't recommend the course of action you are taking. As I understand it Irish citizens (which I assume you are) are allowed to stay 3 weeks without a Visa, i.e. as a business person or a tourist. Look at the Visa section of the American Embassey website:

http://www.usembassy.ie/

Only time I went, was via Amsterdam. No particular problem (I was visiting some friends and meeting an Architect I was hoping to do work with).

You must fill out a landing card on the plane. The procedure is first you go through Immigration (passport control), then Customs (drugs / farm produce / rare animals / money over US10,000 / guns).

You must have somewhere to stay on the first night (you have to fill in the address on you Immigration card) if you intend staying. Then have somewhere else to stay for the 3 months (this way it is harder for them to find you). Your passport has a 3 week endorsement added to it.

Remember that your prospective employer will probably look for a Social Security number from you. He will likely screw you financially if you don't have a plausible explanation for having / not having one. You are damned if you do and you are damned if you don't.

Get health insurance (it could be expensive for 3 months - shop around). Standards of service in public hospitals in the US are, shall I say, one step up from a third world country, otherwise you pay a fortune.

Get an open ended or adjustable ticket where you can say return via Canada. This way there is less hassle when leaving the country.

Do not carry more than US$1,000 with you and always carry at most half in your wallet - the rest in a money belt or an envelope in a different pocket.

Get Mummy and Daddy to get you an EMERGENCY ONLY credit card (parents can be naive).

Oh yes, when you are going through Immigration do not smile back at the really conspicuous blonde Dutch chick wearing few clothes in the other queue. It will make the Immigration staff jealous and now what was that someone said about latex gloves?

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Changing call sign to SIERRA PAPA OSCAR OSCAR FOXTROT.

Winning Hand

If you plan on working, dont even get on the plane. Even if you can get past customs you will have a hard time finding an employer that will overlook your visa (or lack thereof) and if you do find one, they have the power to pay you f*ck all.

Also the guys working in customs are american so they more than likely WILL check your visa thoroughly

[This message has been edited by Winning Hand (edited 31-05-2001).]

Hobbes

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by SH:
but hobbes, im flying from britain, so i wont get to customs till USa so i couldnt be stranded!!!! oops</font>

Oh in that case you may have to contend with English Airport Security, who can also throw back on a plane to Ireland if you don't like you.

Should you meet these lovely people and they get you to fill out an anti-terrorist form beware of the trick question on the form.

Q: Purpose of Visit.

Apprantly a lot of the IRA write "Terrorism" and that's how they get caught. Also do not write "Friendly" as Airport security have even less sense of humour then Customs do.

Actually I met A.Security on one such flight to the US. It was quite distressing. They pretty much interrogated me. They would say something like "Where do you work, live, going, to who" then they would ask me to describe the surroundings where I worked,lived etc and answer BS questions (stupid questions about what you do or he would say "is that near somestupidname street?").

After about half an hour of that crap, the guy came back into the room and gave me "the form" to fill out. He then told me step by step instructions to get to my next flight and not to deviate from that path. I was so upset with the fact they were going to possibly refuse me entry that I just said ok and then proceeded to walk off in the wrong direction with 3 Airport security guards following me wondering wtf was I doing. I then walked back over to one of them and said I forgot what he told me and the guy pointed me in the right direction (he was a bit more decent about it).

I wouldn't worry too much though, unless you get redflagged in the system or your acting suspect they leave you alone. (I was redflagged because I was single male travelling alone on a ticket I paid for in cash 1 week before leaving).

Miguel_Sanchez

Chicago is a good place to go if you don't have a visa. As long as you don't mind working on the sites.

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I'm the Dude

Trojan

Jeez lads, you're making it sound like "Escape from Colditz" or something!

While they are quite strict when they think they've reason to be, they are normally grand unless you look majorly dodgy (like hobbes).

One time I was going over for a month on hols, so I brought a letter from work to say I was working full-time here (get someone to do one for you, and make sure they will back you up if checked up at the airport).


- There is no immigration for Irish people in London (Heathrow in any case), you have to go through immigration on the US side. You're much better off going from Dublin direct, it saves major (3 hours+) queues at the far end (this happened me in LAX).

- I've also heard reliably second hand information that if unsatisfied they deport you 1st Class, at your own expense on the next available flight home. That's *expensive*.

- It was said before, but these things are important: do not, repeat, do not under any circumstances, make jokes about bombs/guns/IRA/CS, either in Dublin or US airport (US airports have audio-visual surveillance everywhere). This can get you cavity searched!

Enjoy!

Al.

SantaHoe

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by SH:
i have heard off people being put in a room being interragated for hours! Is this true?</font>

I've heard of that too, and it scares the be-jebus out of me every time I go through customs.
All these things you hear about, like cavity searches <<shudder>>, being detained in some holding room with two-way mirrors for hours, being asked stupid questions.... are they allowed do that kind of thing on a whim?
Or do they have to find something illegal first?*

I've had customs ask me the stupid questions bit (like hobbes, but maybe less extreme), but they said they only stopped me because I looked nervous... IS IT ANY F*CKING WONDER?!
I was cacking myself wondering - "oh god, what next?" ... I've heard the horror stories, and YES I bloody well AM nervous.
I'm nervous of some pri*k customs officer deciding he doesn't like my face (what's not to like? ), and deciding to 'question' me for a few hours.

So tip #1 from me would be: don't look nervous ... but then trying not to look nervous will probably just make you look even more nervous.
So I guess it's a no-win situation.

*BTW. If anyone can answer the ^ above question, and set my mind at ease, I'd be most greatful.

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SH

This may seem like a stupid question but whats a "cavity search"?

Shinji

It involves a pair of rubber gloves and fingers searching all the various, er, bits of your body where you might hide small objects.

Hobbes

btw, joking about stuff. They show as a warning on TV here some guy from chicago returning home from England.

He had a violin case with him and when the hostess said is that your case he said "yea this is my tommygun as I'm from Chicago" (joking). She called Airport security who then arrested him and jailed him overnight in England for just joking.

Shiminay

I'll tell ya what Hobbes - you've obviously got a lot of patience to be living over there with all them daft people

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All the best!
Dav
@B^)
We were all set for a game of Ice Hockey when Frank Williams says "Sorry lads, I've forgotten my skates!"
[honey i] violated [the kids]
Tribes 2 Goodness
The Dawn of the Beefy King approaches...

Victor

Ì was recently in Bath, England - flew via Bristol. Straight forward enough. The flight was met by two Special Branch guys, but cunning plan - I had a suit on! I had an excuse (business meeting)! And other guys in really expensive suits were complaining so they got the hassle. I imagine the reason they checked us was because they had sod all else to do, Bristol being the metropolitan hub it is.

But coming back at (luggage) check in I was asked "is this your bag, did you pack it and has it been out of your sight at any stage" so for the crack I replied (truthfully) that I hadn't seen it since that morning (yes, I normally carry an bright yellow, outsized carrier bag to business meetings - NOT). Then one of my group decided to mention the (fake) Tommy gun that we had seen that day in an Italian restaurant - not good.

Anyway up to the Departure Lounge - ticket inspection was fine.

Through to (aircraft) security. Well used to the routine - everything out of pockets (four pound coins in my back pocket once got me fairly intimate with German security) - money, can of deodorant, wallet, keys, mobile phone, camera, the works.

Briefcase through X-ray machine - "Hmmm sir there seems to be a small metallic object in your case". Ahhh, yes, said pound coins (8 of them) in a 35mm film case. No problem, until his partner says "hey, there is something here that looks like a candle" (could be used as a fuse or an incendiary). I had no candles (who would !!!!!!). After a sustained dispute between the security officers, we actually worked it out that it was a souvenir shot glass 'Greetings from Bath'.

Worst ever was Dover (Hovercraft). I go to security. Not really used to the routine - everything out of pockets (said pound coins, money, wallet, keys, newspaper, mobile phone, 2 cameras (flash / no flash), Siena personal organiser, pen knife, biro, tickets, bottle of 7up, etc., etc. (I had a lot of pockets).

Security: "Hmm, Sir, this is a knife"

Me: "Yes, a small Swiss Army-type pen knife"

Security: "Now, Sir, you won't brandish this on the Hovercraft will you"

Me: "Of course not"

As a friend put it when I told him:

*Brandishing knife* "Take this Hovercraft to Cuba"

However, I was prepared coming back. All I did was stay 'chatting' with the Special Branch interviewer for 15 minutes and then showed her my invition from the King and Queen of Belgium to meet Queen Elizabeth (genuine). Sorry guys, not this time.

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Changing call sign to SIERRA PAPA OSCAR OSCAR FOXTROT.

gandalf

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Trojan:
...While they are quite strict when they think they've reason to be, they are normally grand unless you look majorly dodgy (like hobbes)......</font>

Hobbes looks normal unless he has that dodgy Tinfoil Axe, remember that

Back to topic I got the 3rd degree from the US airport gestapo in Dublin even thou I was going to the US parent company on offical business (with documentation to prove it).

Gandalf.