Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 8:23 am  

Leaguefan wrote:

FFS!!!!
It really is simple.
To get into the USA you either get an ESTA for $14 which will take about 5 minutes to process on the inter web or you can apply for a visa at the US embassy and hope they can process it with their current troubles.
Your choice.

Or you have an American passport and sail through customs like I will be doing tomorrow

[TimperleySaint]

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:16 am  

Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:24 am  

Mike Oxlong wrote:

Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!

What like Turkey? Do you still have to have a crisp, freshly minted £10 note to enter there?

[TimperleySaint]

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:24 am  

Don't know, never been there and never will.

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:03 am  

Mike Oxlong wrote:

Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!

When you see how much of your air fare is made up of various government duties, $14 is a drop in the ocean.

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:31 am  

Hull White Star wrote:

What like Turkey? Do you still have to have a crisp, freshly minted £10 note to enter there?

I remember doing that.
Couldn't hand over two fivers (or a twenty note for two people) ... nope, one ten pound note per person, no exceptions, no deviations ... and no forms to fill in.

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:48 am  

cod'ead wrote:

I had an indefinite visa, so had to carry my old passport around with me when visiting the US. I also had to complete a different colored card on the plane - same questions, just a different coloured card. At the bit that asks "do you intend to enter the US to cause civil unrest or insurrection?", I always answered "sole purpose of visit". Never got pulled once.

I was asked by the border staff 'are you here for illegal or immoral purposes'. I said I was there to spend 2 weeks getting drunk and chasing skirt.

They didn't see the funny side of it.

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:37 pm  

The Video Ref wrote:

I was asked by the border staff 'are you here for illegal or immoral purposes'. I said I was there to spend 2 weeks getting drunk and chasing skirt.

They didn't see the funny side of it.

The Canucks are even worse. Try giving the old "I saw a sign saying drink canada dry and I thought i'd give it a go" and see how far you get through the entry gate.

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:24 pm  

My entry into Barbados was always facilitated by the fact that the hotel owner that I was sub-contracted to employed an old Bajun on a full time salary for no other reason than he was the brother of the head of security at the airport.

When not needed for airport runs the old lad sat in the shade with the taxi drivers and gassed the day away but when someone like me arrived with goods in his multiple flight bags that really should have been declared for import duty, the old lad walked through to customs in the arrivals hall and stood by the VIP gate with a sign with your name on, a nod to a police officer and a simple stamp in the passport and no questions at all and he'd even get a porter to carry your well packed bags for you.

I've been spoiled now and detest the welcome that awaits at most immigration halls.

Re: US Visa / ESTA : Wed Oct 09, 2013 1:00 am  

Mike Oxlong wrote:

Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!

Give this government a chance, they can't screw everyone at the same time, this will take just a little longer to implement but they will, even the EU may go for that one as a money spinner