Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting the US
#16
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I am planning a trip to the US in a few months and have been wondering about this. I'm thinking of taking an old laptop, encrypting all personal data and thoroughly erasing any stuff which is not encrypted.
Does anyone know if US authorities can force you to reveal the the password of an encrypted volume (as the UK authorities can)?
Does anyone know if US authorities can force you to reveal the the password of an encrypted volume (as the UK authorities can)?
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#17
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I'm glad the thread drifted to this topic....it's prompted me to plan to zip and encrypt all my critical data and upload it to my webspace as a backup just in case, before travelling.
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#18
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Always a good idea, anyway...
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#19
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Here are some details from Dept Homeland Security about the laptop situation:
CBP Laptop Searches
We have a responsibility to ensure that any item brought into the country complies with the law and is not a threat to the American public. To treat our inspections of digital media at the border differently from any other documents or conveyances would give terrorists and criminals an advantage they should not have and that our nation cannot afford.
On the topic of CBP, this story aired the other day; I missed it, but the transcript is interesting.
Inside our border's first line of defense
Every day, Customs and Border Protection agents at the U.S. border look for the truth about people entering this country.
PS: They're hiring! According to the TV ad, you get to ride horsies!
CBP Laptop Searches
We have a responsibility to ensure that any item brought into the country complies with the law and is not a threat to the American public. To treat our inspections of digital media at the border differently from any other documents or conveyances would give terrorists and criminals an advantage they should not have and that our nation cannot afford.
On the topic of CBP, this story aired the other day; I missed it, but the transcript is interesting.
Inside our border's first line of defense
Every day, Customs and Border Protection agents at the U.S. border look for the truth about people entering this country.
PS: They're hiring! According to the TV ad, you get to ride horsies!
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#20
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I'm all for only allowing foreigners whose laptops have rounded, soft corners into the country. Hate to think what would happen if one of them went postal and used it as a weapon -- it could seriously injure a US citizen. Thank you CBP!
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#21
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FYI, this is where the state department website is confusing about the VWP.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...l#travelertype
BUT
I also have another question.
I have heard of UK immigration officials bouncing people because they either had too little or too much cash on them. Too little, and the officer thought they were going to get a job; too much, and the office thought they were going to stay longer than allowed. Are US immigration officers the same, or do they understand that people have access to credit cards and cash machines? Personally, I would rather we not have much more cash on us than the amount we would need for cab fare to the hotel. I have heard of people being bounced from the UK because they had too little cash on them, even though they had credit cards with them.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...l#travelertype
Which travelers may use the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States?
Nationals of the 27 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program may use VWP if:
The purpose of their stay in the United States is 90 days or less for tourism or business
Nationals of the 27 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program may use VWP if:
The purpose of their stay in the United States is 90 days or less for tourism or business
When does a national of a VWP country need to apply for a visa instead of using the VWP?
(Which travelers may use the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States?)
Nationals of VWP countries must meet the conditions noted in the section above in order to seek admission to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Travelers who do not meet these conditions must apply for a visa. In particular, a visa must be requested if the traveler:
Wants to remain in the United States for longer than 90 days, or envisions that they may wish to change their status (from tourism to student, etc.) once in the United States;
Wants to work or study in the United States, wants to come to the United States for other purposes not allowed on a visitor visa, or intends to immigrate to the United States;
(Which travelers may use the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States?)
Nationals of VWP countries must meet the conditions noted in the section above in order to seek admission to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Travelers who do not meet these conditions must apply for a visa. In particular, a visa must be requested if the traveler:
Wants to remain in the United States for longer than 90 days, or envisions that they may wish to change their status (from tourism to student, etc.) once in the United States;
Wants to work or study in the United States, wants to come to the United States for other purposes not allowed on a visitor visa, or intends to immigrate to the United States;
I have heard of UK immigration officials bouncing people because they either had too little or too much cash on them. Too little, and the officer thought they were going to get a job; too much, and the office thought they were going to stay longer than allowed. Are US immigration officers the same, or do they understand that people have access to credit cards and cash machines? Personally, I would rather we not have much more cash on us than the amount we would need for cab fare to the hotel. I have heard of people being bounced from the UK because they had too little cash on them, even though they had credit cards with them.
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#22
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FYI, this is where the state department website is confusing about the VWP.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...l#travelertype
BUT
I also have another question.
I have heard of UK immigration officials bouncing people because they either had too little or too much cash on them. Too little, and the officer thought they were going to get a job; too much, and the office thought they were going to stay longer than allowed. Are US immigration officers the same, or do they understand that people have access to credit cards and cash machines? Personally, I would rather we not have much more cash on us than the amount we would need for cab fare to the hotel. I have heard of people being bounced from the UK because they had too little cash on them, even though they had credit cards with them.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...l#travelertype
BUT
I also have another question.
I have heard of UK immigration officials bouncing people because they either had too little or too much cash on them. Too little, and the officer thought they were going to get a job; too much, and the office thought they were going to stay longer than allowed. Are US immigration officers the same, or do they understand that people have access to credit cards and cash machines? Personally, I would rather we not have much more cash on us than the amount we would need for cab fare to the hotel. I have heard of people being bounced from the UK because they had too little cash on them, even though they had credit cards with them.
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#26
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Does voluntary work come under this rule also? I'm thinking along the lines of helping out (running concession stands) at football - packing boxes to send to troops in iraq etc???
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#27
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If the position is one that would ordinarily be paid, then you can't do it, so concession stands would probably be no....packing boxes, serving food at a soup kitchen, probably alright.
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#28
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I did read Post No. 3, but the distinction between "working" and "conducting a business" is still fuzzy to me. How would you define the following:
1. Taking a photo of the Empire State Building with the intention of putting it on a website that provides advertising revenue.
2. Meeting a stranger who happens to be thinking about opening up an online shop, and having a conversation with him about it.
3. Returning a phone call from a client in Lancashire.
These are all aspects of "working on websites".
If any of these things are considered "conducting a business", would he only be allowed to do them if he declared in advance that he was going to, before he entered the US?
Can he combine "tourism" and "conducting a business" in one visit, or must he do either one or the other? (That would imply that someone who came to New York for a business conference wouldn't be allowed to take some time to go shopping in Bloomingdale's.)
My only frame of reference is UK immigration law (I realise that they are different countries with different laws, but that is where my "instincts" come in), and in the UK a visitor would not be allowed to do any of this, and would also not be allowed to do any type of volunteer work.
1. Taking a photo of the Empire State Building with the intention of putting it on a website that provides advertising revenue.
2. Meeting a stranger who happens to be thinking about opening up an online shop, and having a conversation with him about it.
3. Returning a phone call from a client in Lancashire.
These are all aspects of "working on websites".
If any of these things are considered "conducting a business", would he only be allowed to do them if he declared in advance that he was going to, before he entered the US?
Can he combine "tourism" and "conducting a business" in one visit, or must he do either one or the other? (That would imply that someone who came to New York for a business conference wouldn't be allowed to take some time to go shopping in Bloomingdale's.)
My only frame of reference is UK immigration law (I realise that they are different countries with different laws, but that is where my "instincts" come in), and in the UK a visitor would not be allowed to do any of this, and would also not be allowed to do any type of volunteer work.
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#29
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do parties for the rich and famous ... all legal
He would not work in a shop..take flight booking..clean his planes ..
that illegal ...
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#30
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I did read Post No. 3, but the distinction between "working" and "conducting a business" is still fuzzy to me. How would you define the following:
1. Taking a photo of the Empire State Building with the intention of putting it on a website that provides advertising revenue.
1. Taking a photo of the Empire State Building with the intention of putting it on a website that provides advertising revenue.
2. Meeting a stranger who happens to be thinking about opening up an online shop, and having a conversation with him about it.
3. Returning a phone call from a client in Lancashire.
If any of these things are considered "conducting a business", would he only be allowed to do them if he declared in advance that he was going to, before he entered the US?
If the guard says, "Do you intend to work (seek employment) in the USA?" The answer is, "No." Anything more is Too Much Information.
Can he combine "tourism" and "conducting a business" in one visit, or must he do either one or the other? (That would imply that someone who came to New York for a business conference wouldn't be allowed to take some time to go shopping in Bloomingdale's.)
Hope this all helps.
--J Craig Fong
Los Angeles, CA
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