Minor freak out - ESTA application

photome

Dawning wrote: »

Good point, I will update mine now.

I never update mine either.

I have alway had pleasent experiences with immigration (is it homeland security) in Vegas, I always chat to them, maybe that helps;)

jackieblack

We've never had a problem at immigration either. Always found them perfectly polite.

ferf1223

This always boggles my mind.

Immigration is not the welcome wagon...it's not the tourist board...

I wonder how many of you folks realise that the US immigration officials are no better or worse than the UK immigration officials if you aren't carrying a UK passport? Being American, who - pre-IRIS - had to clear immigration with all the other non EU-passport holders I can assure you that there is very little difference between officals in different countries doing an important job. I was never met by a smiley-jokey person arriving back in the UK, and I have a visa...they were all business, no nonsense, sometimes quite gruff, many times asking lots of questions about where I had been, where I live, what I do, why I came to the UK originally, how long I've been here (again, visa-holder, me...so if I am getting that sort of line of questions so must most)...but always doing their job and taking it seriously.

But go on with the bash the yanks thing, of course.

cubegame

It's the inconsistency of the officials which is most annoying. Our past two trips couldn't have been more of a contrast.

First time in Chicago the guy was friendly and chatty. He played the Mr. Welcome to the USA Valued Visitor role.

In Charlotte, NC the guy was abrupt and rude. When he asked the purpose of our trip and I answered in a friendly manner he literally said "I'm not that interested sir. I'm just paid to find out if you are likely to stay illegally."

stoneman

If you don't like the way they treat you, don't go. I wish we had as thorough immigration system in this country, and I bet when all of you are having your photo taken and finger prints scanned, you are thinking the same thing. What do you have to do to get into Blighty, fill out a landing form the size of a post card, rubbish. There job is to try and ascertain if you are there for the wrong reasons to keep the country safe, not kiss your butt.

duchy

I don't find US Immigration a problem at all-either they are either very straight and unsmiling but never rude -or friendly and chatty. Now the TSA are another matter-they are a disgrace to their nation.

That's based on two or three trips a year through a variety of gateways JFK EWR CVG DFW ATL LAS LAX BOS ORD etc. I just roll up with a smile-say hello -do the fingerprint/photo thing-say I'm on vacation and off I go. I find they are often more welcoming than the miserable b&ggers in UK immigration on the way home .

I agree with Stoneman-it wouldn't hurt for us to have such through immigration checks too.

As for the ESTA-I've never printed it out-I simply wrote the reference number in the back of my passport with the expiry date on the next of kin contact page.

Ferf my brother actually works in immigration and used to do the frontline stuff you've described -some of the stories he's told me about how people try it on would make your hair curl so annoying as it might be for you as an "alien" I'm actually quite pleased to hear they DO ask the questions in the non-EU lines !

dzug1

duchy wrote: »

I agree with Stoneman-it wouldn't hurt for us to have such through immigration checks too.

!

I think you would find it would hurt your pocket as a tax payer in paying for them:D

OK you might be willing but the government evidently isn't.

As an aside, I have noticed on recent trips is that the US will throw open the US citizen lanes to allcomers when there is no queue in them

duchy

dzug1 wrote: »

I think you would find it would hurt your pocket as a tax payer in paying for them:D

OK you might be willing but the government evidently isn't.

As an aside, I have noticed on recent trips is that the US will throw open the US citizen lanes to allcomers when there is no queue in them

Checks and balances -stricter controls would pay off in other ways (not getting into that one on the travel forum ) but cost woulld balance out at zero or even save the country money in the longer term.

Yes that's normal-to open it up-always has been. Once the US citizens are through they start funneling the "aliens" through to those desks too. If confronted by long lines I always go to the line nearest the US desks so when they are done and start queue busting I get the benefit

jackieblack

dzug1 wrote: »

As an aside, I have noticed on recent trips is that the US will throw open the US citizen lanes to allcomers when there is no queue in them

duchy wrote: »

Yes that's normal-to open it up-always has been. Once the US citizens are through they start funneling the "aliens" through to those desks too. If confronted by long lines I always go to the line nearest the US desks so when they are done and start queue busting I get the benefit

We have also experienced this

ferf1223

duchy wrote: »

Ferf my brother actually works in immigration and used to do the frontline stuff you've described -some of the stories he's told me about how people try it on would make your hair curl so annoying as it might be for you as an "alien" I'm actually quite pleased to hear they DO ask the questions in the non-EU lines !

I actually don't find it annoying at all...they are just doing their job - and a very important one at that, no issue here - I am very much a 'yes, sir' 'no, ma'am' person at immigration wherever I am...I was only trying to give an example of how it was for non UK folks to arrive in the UK (even ones having a visa)...pretty much the same as non US-passport holders arriving in the US.

Anyway, with IRIS I just breeze through the booth and glance back at the poor saps in the queue now.