TOUGH IMMIGRATION OFFICERS

[Cruella DeVilla]

OK, Here is one for you? What are your thoughts on the Trevor McDonald programme last night?. Would it swing your decsion to travel or not to the USA?

[alan360]

I did not see the program so cannot comment on the contents, however, when arriving in the USA all the immigration officials seem to treat you with suspicious looks etc, after a min or two of chatting while they scan your passport and check the immigration forms, I find most manage a friendly smile and mellow a bit.

Maybe I am just lucky I don't know, but at the end of the day they are doing their job's, but certainly do not agree with with holding food and water from anyone who is being held rightly or wrongly. I thought the US were the ones who boast about upholding peoples human right's.

[Nostromo]

It would not stop me from visiting, but I would plan carefully what I was or was not going to say - in general being careful not to upset the immigration authorities. I think the post-Iraq fallout is making the US administration develop a bit of a McCarthy type persecution complex, which will soon pass to be replaced by more efficient but less hostile checks. Therefore, I voted for 'other' in this poll.

[sarahjk]

I voted for other, I did not see the show but it really would not make any difference to our going away. I think that they have become a lot more suspicious since 9/11, but we have been a couple of times since then and never have a problem as Al said after a minute of chatting and having our youngest scoul at them when they try to take her teddy away to xray they always smile and chat back (they do still xray the teddy though Kirstie just scouls even harder no amount of let me take a picture of the inside of ted works with her)

Just smile and remember they are doing their job and although we dont see it people coming in to Britain do have to jump through just as many hoops to get in believe me I have worked in immigration

[rosie]

Our friends call us Boris and Natasha as we're the ones who get searched going OUT of the UK !!! :D

[tezz7628]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mad_al_uk
I did not see the program so cannot comment on the contents, however, when arriving in the USA all the immigration officials seem to treat you with suspicious looks etc, after a min or two of chatting while they scan your passport and check the immigration forms, I find most manage a friendly smile and mellow a bit.

Maybe I am just lucky I don't know, but at the end of the day they are doing their job's, but certainly <span style="color:red">do not agree with with holding food and water from anyone who is being held rightly or wrongly</span id="red">. I thought the US were the ones who boast about upholding peoples human right's.
[/quote]

now you've got me intrigued

i thought you said you hadn't seen the programme!!!

[alan360]

Tezz7628,

correct I did not see the program, however, I would have thought that any normal thinking person, would have thought it barbaric and pretty much a torturous act to withold food and water from anyone.

Tezz check the other threads for the food and water bit, I guess I went a bit off topic on this one.

[linda.s]

Well, the last time we went, my eldest daughter had changed quite dramatically from her passport pic - to say she had blossomed would be putting it lightly - The immigration officer, sat po faced, and stared at her pic in the passport, then back at her (bear in mind, she had long hair tied back, buck teeth, was slightly overweight and had a very chubby face in her passport pic, and now she is slim, toned, short highlighted hair, straight teeth, and is actually very attractive now!) He kept looking at both pics, making her squirm, and eventually said "So, what happened to you Kayleigh??" Poor love, nearly curled up there and then, as all embarassed teenagers do! I did find them quite intimadating though.

[tezz7628]

dear mad,
i wanted to merely point out my confusion at you saying you hadn't watched the programme yet were appearing to quote excerts from it

i'm not to sure if you think i agree with any holding of food or water but i can assure you i dont

:)

[CarolAnn]

Last visit we returned via Miami, and we had the note in our luggage saying it had been checked[^] As long as it is all for the right reasons, no problem!:)
On my first visit, via Bangor in 1991, Immigration treated me very suspiciously, I joked at some of the questions, to promptly be told off, I was thought to be on an FBI list or something[xx(][xx(]Really scared me, I had only ever been to Greek Islands prior to my US trip. Anyway they sorted it, and I have been most years since:):D[8D]So guess I am not put off then[msnsmile][msnsmile2]

[Cruella DeVilla]

You must never joke with these guys and gals! Yes/No Sir/Ma'am is the correct answer!