Noorah101

Hi Folinskyinla....
Re-read which post? Ilorona's or Jewels? I was just making a comparison of the hassle of going through the POE for some people, whether it be excessive questioning or an actual body search.

Rene

Khadija

In addition, note that they lectured her on how Muslim/Arab men treat their women! Everyone here realizes these people have a job to do to. That doesn't mean they have the right to cross the line as they did in this case. Asking questions regarding the relationship to catch, as someone pointed out, a "bait and switch" so-to-speak is one thing. Lecturing on culture and inquiring about a USC's intent to convert is abhorent in my book!

God only knows what awaits my husband! I'm growing more fearful by the day that, instead of nearing the end of the road, there's no end in sight!

Patty Khadijah

Leslie

That's really it in a nutshell. If all POE experiences were this intense, then nobody would have blinked twice at this post.

Leslie

Can you imagine being lectured on a culture by somebody who doesn't even know where it is on the map? I can assure you if I am in that situation, they will be getting just as much from me as they give.

Khadija

As much as you'd like to lash out, should you be in such a situation, remember these folks have your future in their hands. As Mr. F has cautioned many times, and I'm paraphrasing his quote from a Clint Eastwood movie, "there are two kinds of people in this world, those with guns and those without". And, in these situations, we're without! Awful as it sounds, you have to sit through such humiliating treatment and somehow find a way afterward to let it go.

I guess I'll have to save every penny so I can afford to fly with my honey whenever he's approved to come here. Sounds like that would be a better investment than trying to attend a second interview should there be one God-forbid. At least if it has to be a God-awful experience, we'll share it together vs. on the opposite sides of the "fence" at the airport.

Patty Khadijah

jcapulet

llorona,

I am so sorry to hear what your loved one had to go through at the POE. Doing their job or not, what a bunch of ANIMALS. How is grilling him for 4 hours doing their job, or in Jewel's case, her (husband?) being strip-searched? There are ways to professionally and effectively do this job; their conduct was atrocious. And their saying "people like this" come to the States to get a job...people like what? Efficient security checks are necessary, but going overboard is not. It sounds like they had their own agenda.

I am glad he finally got through. Now you can put that behind you and start your lives together.

Juliet

Folinskyinla

Hi:

I think the lecture about Islamic men was inappropriate and irrelevant. On your second question, I've never been to Ireland so I have no idea what their inspections can be like. But I know for a fact that in crossing ANY border for ANY country, you are at the mercy of the POE inspectors.

The worst entry inspection I've ever experienced was driving into Canada in 1991. I was with my wife and my two [then] little girls and I got questioned in depth about what guns I own and where did I have them in the cars and if I left them at home, where do I store them and to describe them in detail. The officer was quite perturbed that I kept insisting that I didn't own any firearms. [The only reason I kept insisting on that was that it happened to be true].

The worst EXIT inspection I ever had was from Korea -- because the ENTRY officer at Kimpo endorsed my visa to show the new business classification, gave me the ROK equivalent of the I-94 but forgot to put in an entry stamp in my passport. I spent an hour in the Kimpo Immigration Office while they checked everything before giving me a backdated entry stamp so I could leave the country.

My experiences with departure control at Ben Gurion was quite thorough, but at least the girl usually apologizes at the end for the necessity for questioning me.

Leslie

Ok. But I can politely point out the inaccuracies of their statements. Especially when they are DEAD DOG WRONG!!

Noorah101

For those who haven't read it, here's the link to Jewels' Iranian husband's POE experience, since we referenced it a few times in this thread:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ghlight=jewels

Folinskyinla

Hi Patty:

Yes, that lecture was inappropriate. However, note that was directed at her and not HIM.

BTW, I once had an adjustment interview with a family of 4, an interpreter, yours truly and the examiner. The DAO managed, in the space of 30 minutes, and before 6 witnesses, to disparage Protestant Christianity, Judaism, Jewish lawyers and all Koreans and refused to approve the case.

My complaint letter was quite detailed and politely requested resolution of the application without the necessity of suit. I've experienced many DAO's, TA's, IJ's etc etc from Hell -- but that was the ONLY time I lodged a formal complaint.

Leslie

I was referring to an Irish person immigrating to the United States with their American spouse sitting in the waiting room of an American airport. I cannot imagine the American POE officer coming out there and asking the U.S. citizen if they were planning to convert to Catholicism.

dutchman2001nl

What was the outcome of the complaint?

sibsie

My cousin and friends have done Kibbutz (sp?) in Israel and a few of them have had real horrors at the airport. None of them complained about it and just saw it as part and parcel of international travel. They did say the immigration officers were polite though. There's a reason it's the safest airport in the world and El Al the best for security, and I have to say you don't get that by having relaxed, complaint airport officials.

I always get special screening out of LHR. Partly because I non rev (thanks dad and fiance) and partly because of my Irish passport and frequency of travel. I was always staggered in the days when people in the US were allowed to go out to the departure gate with passengers.

I know it's not pleasant and I know people don't like it but if it makes commerical aviation safer then I'm all in favour.

I don't like the personal comments about the religion though.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Take a look at the broad experience posted here on VISA interviews and on adjustment interviews. Many are a walk in the part and others get the officer from Hell.

Recall the posts by "Farhan" about the K-1 petition for his fiance in Pakistan? He got the petition approved by claiming that his culture prohibits him from meeting his fiance before the marriage. Also, that his plan was to meet his fiance AFTER her getting the visa IN Pakistan to bring her here to get married? If memory serves me correct, they are due back in two weeks from now.

Please recall that Farhan flamed me for being worried about him? Guess what? Even though he is not my client, I am still worried about him -- they could run into the POE Inspector from Hell.

As I mentioned before, the visa issuance is merely permission to come to a POE and apply for entry. It is not, and never has been, a guarantee of admission.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Actually, I remember the line from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" as being about those whose guns are loaded and those whose guns are not. However, a good friend recalls the line as being about two types of people: those whose guns are loaded, and those who dig.

I haven't looked it up yet.