Neelam

He thought you worked there?!?! How did you get around that one? Were you like "errrr, no Sir, I don't" kinda thing?

johnthebrit1965

well I told the truth, I said im not working in USA, which was followed by how do I fund my trip, followed by how much money did I have on me,followed by did I have proof of where I was staying for 12 weeks, which i did, and gave him the detailed printed invoice for my aptmnt in Florida, think that convinced them,as it was paid for in advance + had the same dates as my entry and leaving date on my Eticket

Bob

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...r_preclearance

that's the list.

Neelam

Awesome

Sapphyre

On May 30, 3:31 pm, johnthebrit1965
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I travelled to Florida last April for 86 days,returned to UK in July for
> 6 weeks,then went back for 86 days early Sep,got taken aside for
> secondary immagration questioning at Orlando airport but luckily they
> did let me in,so it does happen + is probably luck of draw on the day as
> who you get at the desk,Im going back end of next month for 3 weeks, and
> as advised by several on this forum Im certainly bringing proof of ties
> to the UK,( mortgage document, bank statement with proof of funds etc)as
> but who would NORMALLY carry this stuff on a vacation??!! all I had last
> yr was passport ,US dollars andEticket, I guess its a sign of the times
> we live in

The longer you go in, the more likely they are to question. I was
intending to go in for four weeks, but somehow the officer thought I
meant 8 weeks, so I had to show proof of job. He just asked all the
questions, then came, "do you have proof of your employment?" My stub
doesn't show vacation accrural, but it shows all kinds of other
interesting things... looking at my pay stub you'd see how much sick
pay I took, how many hours I worked (year to date), how much I earned,
how many hours I worked at that time, how much investments I put in
(payroll savings with the government). And I had a signed letter from
my employer that said I worked there for three years and rate of pay.
With the two items together, I was all set to prove I had a steady
job. I got hassled majorly when I crossed for the first time after
quitting that job, the officer even asked, "why did you quit, how did
you get this new job, what steps did you take to go about getting
hired by this company, what do you do there (details of duty)". And
for what it's worth, they knew all about my previous employment and
even said "don't you work (here) doing (this)?" after being asked
twice what I did for a living, and waht the name of my company was.

Yes, most people don't bring tons of stuff on vacation, but since no
one ever takes my being employed very seriously (because I have enough
money and resources that it doesn't matter if I'm unemployed for a few
months), I bring proof of mortgage, city taxes and house ownership and
proof of ties, and proof of funds (because they think if we have no
job to return to, we'll be a public burden...)

I'm a little nervous... I'm finishing a work contract and starting a
new one in a few weeks with a new company. I want to go on vacation in
between, but not sure how I'll handle that. I'll have a letter of
offer, but it doesn't prove I'm actually accepting the job.

S.

Sapphyre

I was at the Commercial Cargo Customs in Michigan being detained
because my passenger was considered to be inadmissible (on account of
him having no stable employment, housing or ties... I was his only
tie, because he lived with me, I told him not to worry because I paid
for everything and have so much in assets and investments that we
wouldn't have any "trouble" on a four day trip). In the Customs and
Cargo, there was a Sikh man from Toronto who lost his Fast Pass and
went through X-ray and similar harassment for no reason known to him.

My travelling companion and I got separate treatment, they told me I
was fine, and just relax. The worst that was going to happen to me, is
I'd have to bring him back to Canada in the rental car and leave him
and his stuff behind. The worst they had on me was a handwritten note
I was supposed to give to my boss that made me look like I was being
deceptive. The had a whole lot more on my travelling companion, to
start with, the Customs officer thought we were lovers and "up to
something" because my deed is with my spouse, but I was travelling
with a man who lived in my house (tenant/friend) because he "had no
money to pay rent" and he couldn't prove to them he was even paying me
rent (which he wasn't at the time anyway). So they had him totally
labelled as vagrant right then and there, and kept us for four hours
while they dilly-dallied around.

When we were let go, he was given a warning about being suspected as
someone who was seeking work, and how he needs to have a more stable
life if he wants to be allowed to visit (and to know their laws when
he crosses), I was warned about becareful about bringing passengers
that are inadmissible, and then he said my customs papers were in
order, I'm free to continue to cross with cargo, and it wouldn't have
been so bad if he wasn't a passenger. So I don't think I'll have any
more passengers when I transport cargo. (This was before the e-
manifest became required).

Sometime about two years ago I got hassled by the "we think you've
been living in the US" routine (I was laying low and going about my
business for almost two years without crossing, laying low as in...
they don't see my name on their system). I figured crossing would be a
piece of cake since it's the first time I had a full time job when I
crossed, and I got held up for an hour and questioned because I have a
checking account within the US. So she went through all my stuff for
evidence that I had ties to the US, and no ties to Canada. I think she
was disappointed when she found bank stuff and pay stub stuff in my
shoulder bag to prove I had been working full time for over a year.
Then she asked me why I don't pay rent or bills with my pay to try and
disprove that I had ties (as in, I could just up and move). I'm
married, and so stated... I think she was expecting me to say I lived
with my parents. Living with my spouse makes a whole lot more sense,
so she let me go. I didn't get any weird treatments until I crossed
with a guy who wasn't my spouse, now they're being weird again like I
must be doing something if I have a male vagrant living in my house
who can't pay any bills.

S.

On May 30, 3:53 pm, johnthebrit1965
<[email protected]> wrote:
> > Christmas 2005 Immigration sent me to another room at JFK airport, IO
> > didnt seem to want to admit me. I am sure that the color of my skin
> > had something to do with it. I went into the room and there were a
> > bunch of Middle Eastern men in there, (who i swear looked liked
> > something from the Taliban). I had to sit there and watch other
> > poeple being taken in to be strip searched and some other people
> > waiting to get deported. When it was finally my turn (me expecting
> > the worse, i.e refused entry, stripped searched, deported,
> > whatever...) the Immigration supervisor asked me when I last entered
> > the USA, I answered and then he was like "you can go now". It seemed
> > like I was still on their system as being in the country, from my
> > previous visit about a month before this one and my departure record
> > wasnt updated. After that visit, when i got back to London the first
> > thing I did was apply for a B2 Visa giving the reason for application
> > as "frequent trips to the USA and excessive questioning at the port of
> > entry". In the interview at the embassy, she asked me what the name
> > of a famous Indian actress, who was Miss World at some point in the
> > last few years. I told her "Aishwarya Rai" and she seemed happy with
> > that and granted me the visa. They can be so random in their
> > questions. Maybe she knew somehow (I dont know how) that I had
> > travelled to India the year before to actually meet this actress, as I
> > was going to do business with her (fashion) and I was planning to set
> > this up in the USA. I didnt go through with the plans and I didnt
> > apply for any Visa to the US for this. It was merely a thought
> > process.
>
> Wow, that must have been awful!!! I had the "Sir, I think You work in
> the United States of America" routine with the IO in Orlando,but he
> wasnt at any point really rude just kind of abrupt,as in whatever answer
> I gave to his qeustion, he just asked another qeustion and to prove my
> answer, I guess its a case of GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT, still makes
> me nervous about my trip next month though!!

Sapphyre

On May 30, 3:24 pm, Neelam <[email protected]> wrote:
> Really??? I didnt know that! I really prefer clearing immigration
> before you leave your home country, because that way at least you can
> just go home if anything happens. They have that in Canada, of course.
> They should have it in the UK. What other foreign airports have US
> Immigration stationed there??

If your ticket is non-refundable, it really doesn't matter where you
clear. If you aren't getting in, you aren't getting in.

Look at it this way... if you try to clear in advance passenger
screening (at Shannon/Dublin/Canada), and they detain you for
investigation (which should take less time at an airport than a land
border anyway), you may miss your flight, but be able to convince the
officer to let you in after your flight has left. If you are already
in the US, you stand a much better chance at being allowed in, if all
it takes is some pleading and gabbing to convince the officer.

We were held up for four hours by the land border, but I think a lot
of sitting around time happened and time was wasted, I'd like to think
this doesn't happen too often at an airport unless you're a definite
refusal.

That's just my theory... but your mileage may vary.

S.

Neelam

Yes, after frequently travelling there - they hit a point when they start to trust you, especially if you have a record of quick short trips into the US and then leaving. I think I have reached that stage and you learn to suck up to them and tell them what they wanna hear. The simpler the story the better. "Im here on vacation because I got a free flight from my airmiles and I like shopping in the US at particular stores that are not available in the UK and also the Dollar is weak. But I cant stay long, because I dont have that much vacation time from work and I have a wedding to attend to when i get home". Sometimes I give them too much stuff and RAMBLE purposefully and they just do anything to get rid of me. On one occasion, when I was a full time student I had a letter from my university to confirm I am enrolled with them, in case they wanted any proof at the port of entry. I gave it to the IO and he skimmed through it, whilst I was answering his previous question about how long I am going to be there for etc etc...whilst I was going into the details of which museums I will visit and how excited I was about visiting them - he looked at me and threw the letter back to me and said "I dont need that". I was like geeeeezzzzz!!

scrubbedexpat099

http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/142/

I am sure that many many more people who should not get in do, than those who are turned away.

Neelam

Hmmmmm..... interesting article. Yeah I agree with you, I know that there are tons of people who get in and shouldnt do. I have a latvian friend who is a student in Poland and she goes to the USA during college vacation time to work there (of course illegaly) to save up money for the next semester of school.

Tracym

The difference is - if you don't clear in Dublin/Shannon, you just walk away and go home.

If you don't clear in the U.S. - I think you will be detained. I don't know WHERE you will be detained. And the next flight probably isn't until the next day.

Neelam

Did you hear that awful atory about a British Journalist who travelled there to interview someone for her magazine and she didnt have the correct visa? She travelled there under the VWP and innocently told the IO at POE that she is entering the USA to interview someone, of course its classed as "working" and she didnt have the Visa. They detained her overnight in a prison cell, was treated like a criminal and wasnt given any food even though she offered to pay for it. On top of that, she was subject to the regular sarcasm remarks coming from IO's and treated badly. They put her back on the next flight home (the next day) and had to obtain a Journalists visa at the embassy before returning. The funny thing is that her husband who also lives in the UK is an American Citizen .....

Lilyella

I believe that was at LAX, which has about the worst reputation for that kind of thing.

Sapphyre

My experiences went like a curve for me... before 9/11, I had no
problems, few questions, but they were a little smart-ass with me.
When I said I was going to see a friend, he said, "does this friend
know you're coming to visit?" My dad laughed and said they sure have
me pegged, since only I would get an idea and run with it and forget
to tell everyone else about it... Yeah, well the friend invited me, it
wasn't a big deal.

Then I had a tough time because they thought I was getting married, so
after that trip, I just kind of lay low because I came home, went to
school, when I finished school the next year I got a job instead of
travelling (which was what I usually did in the summer), and didn't go
back until I was stable enough working jobs to be able to afford a
little vacation (to Niagara), then I got my first grilling, it was
like I was living there and going home or something, it was nasty. And
went downhill from there... For cargo reasons, I tend to not have any
problems as long as there's no circumstances going along with it.

S.

On May 31, 7:33 am, Neelam <[email protected]> wrote:
> Yes, after frequently travelling there - they hit a point when they
> start to trust you, especially if you have a record of quick short trips
> into the US and then leaving. I think I have reached that stage and you
> learn to suck up to them and tell them what they wanna hear. The
> simpler the story the better. "Im here on vacation because I got a free
> flight from my airmiles and I like shopping in the US at particular
> stores that are not available in the UK and also the Dollar is weak.
> But I cant stay long, because I dont have that much vacation time from
> work and I have a wedding to attend to when i get home". Sometimes I
> give them too much stuff and RAMBLE purposefully and they just do
> anything to get rid of me. On one occasion, when I was a full time
> student I had a letter from my university to confirm I am enrolled with
> them, in case they wanted any proof at the port of entry. I gave it to
> the IO and he skimmed through it, whilst I was answering his previous
> question about how long I am going to be there for etc etc...whilst I
> was going into the details of which museums I will visit and how excited
> I was about visiting them - he looked at me and threw the letter back to
> me and said "I dont need that". I was like geeeeezzzzz!!

Sapphyre

On May 31, 10:55 am, Boiler <[email protected]>
wrote:
> http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/142/
>
> I am sure that many many more people who should not get in do, than
> those who are turned away.

There are tons of people who should not get in... some are entering
from Canada. But they also turn some people away over petty stuff when
that person is not a threat to their security, nor are they going to
break any Immigration laws.

Hassling my friend because he didn't have a stable job and lived in my
house was unnecessary, IMO, because he does have a place to live, and
he is being looked after to a degree that he is not a vagrant. Plus
the fact he was travelling with me as a companion, and I don't see why
I should be punished and forced to travel alone just because my
friends can't pay for stuff... if I'm paying for stuff (and I could
prove it far and wide), why do they care? I had receipts for what's
been paid for, and credit cards.

S.