Visa Questions

[PNGMK]

p.s. The thing the US wanted to see to get a long term tourist visa, was that I had close ties to my home country.

- Home
- Employment
- Family
i.e. solid reasons why I wasn't trying to emigrate to or live in the US.

Perhaps you might consider it in the same way? You just want to visit SG each month, because you can, and because you wish to. But equally, that does not mean you wish to move there....


[just thinking aloud]

I thought they troubled people only from poor 3rd world countries. I didnt know they had a problem with white brits trying to emigrate into their country

I'm an Aussie with an American wife. Last time I went to the USA I had an experience like JR8.... damn close to being flown to Gitmo.

[Wd40]

I have been to the US only once, to Dallas in 2004 on a B1 visa and I still remember the black immigration officer questioning me with a strict straight face:
Officer: Business or Pleasure?
me: Business
Officer: What kind of Business?
me: blah blah blah

Singapore immigration, I didnt even have to open my mouth.

[Viper619]

The only problem I had going into the US was that the fingerprint scanner couldn't read my prints. Took about 20 tries and the officer in customs was starting to get very frustrated with me.

[JR8]

I have been to the US only once, to Dallas in 2004 on a B1 visa and I still remember the black immigration officer questioning me with a strict straight face:
Officer: Business or Pleasure?
me: Business
Officer: What kind of Business?
me: blah blah blah

Singapore immigration, I didnt even have to open my mouth.

I don't think you understand the kind of 'questioning' I experienced, and I hope you never have to. In the US it is called 'Secondary Inspection', and it is (intentionally) deeply unpleasant.

[the lynx]

I have been to the US only once, to Dallas in 2004 on a B1 visa and I still remember the black immigration officer questioning me with a strict straight face:
Officer: Business or Pleasure?
me: Business
Officer: What kind of Business?
me: blah blah blah

Singapore immigration, I didnt even have to open my mouth.

I don't think you understand the kind of 'questioning' I experienced, and I hope you never have to. In the US it is called 'Secondary Inspection', and it is (intentionally) deeply unpleasant.

Did that involve latex gloves?

[JR8]

Well, it still brings tears to my eyes, that's what I will say. Phoo, bad...

It was very very hostile, and hours long. I have only experienced anything else like it in Israel.

[bgd]

I thought they troubled people only from poor 3rd world countries.

Isn’t that Ireland these days

[JR8]

I'm sure they have a 'red-list' by nationality. But they certainly profile far more deeply than that.

Age, religion, race, nationality, purpose of visit, place of stay. - Just the look on your face -

[PNGMK]

Well, it still brings tears to my eyes, that's what I will say. Phoo, bad...

It was very very hostile, and hours long. I have only experienced anything else like it in Israel.

IT sounds very similar to my experience... and of course my American wife was already through and wondering where the hell I was....

(You can't make phone calls in those places... technically you're actually "no where" without any redress possible - I'm sure they can rendition you from there without any legal difficulties).

I'm certain that it was my visits to Pakistan (multiple times) that triggered this but shit, you know there is MORE than just terrorism in Pakistan.

[zzm9980]

I have been to the US only once, to Dallas in 2004 on a B1 visa and I still remember the black immigration officer questioning me with a strict straight face:
Officer: Business or Pleasure?
me: Business
Officer: What kind of Business?
me: blah blah blah

Singapore immigration, I didnt even have to open my mouth.

Wow, given your opinions posted so "matter of fact"ly so often in every other thread, one would assume you lived in the US for years!

I'm also curious why the immigration officer's skin color has freak all to do with your anecdote.

[zzm9980]

I'm certain that it was my visits to Pakistan (multiple times) that triggered this but shit, you know there is MORE than just terrorism in Pakistan.

There is, but the ratio of MORE:terrorism for Pakistan is likely lower than almost anywhere else on the planet.

[Wd40]

I have been to the US only once, to Dallas in 2004 on a B1 visa and I still remember the black immigration officer questioning me with a strict straight face:
Officer: Business or Pleasure?
me: Business
Officer: What kind of Business?
me: blah blah blah

Singapore immigration, I didnt even have to open my mouth.

Wow, given your opinions posted so "matter of fact"ly so often in every other thread, one would assume you lived in the US for years!

I'm also curious why the immigration officer's skin color has freak all to do with your anecdote.

You dont have to be in the US to know about US. My 1st job was for Capital One call centre,in 2002, based in Bangalore, but there were days when I used to take 100 calls i.e. speak to 100 Americans a day! I worked there for 1 year.

The skin color of immigration officer has nothing to do with this, I was just trying to paint as accurate picture of the person as possible. It helps to describe a person's features so that readers can connect more easily

[JR8]

IT sounds very similar to my experience... and of course my American wife was already through and wondering where the hell I was....

(You can't make phone calls in those places... technically you're actually "no where" without any redress possible - I'm sure they can rendition you from there without any legal difficulties).

I'm certain that it was my visits to Pakistan (multiple times) that triggered this but shit, you know there is MORE than just terrorism in Pakistan.

Yeah, 11pm. JFK. In an windowless ante-room with 200 green plastic chairs bolted into the floor. The only other people there, an Indian in robes asleep on the floor holding a sitar, and the uniformed guy seated 3' above you behind a counter yelling questions at you, but not waiting for answers.

I found it ironic that as you queue at immigration you'd wait hours, and every few yards pass posters of some noble looking immigration USCBP officer, captioned, 'We are the face of America!'... indeed.

Israel. They must have profiles and records of what tourists do. I'd booked one place, checked out, slept a couple of nights on the beach, checked into another place. I suppose I didn't tick their boxes. I was carrying about 10kg of camera gear, and they did not like that. I got taken away and asked maybe 200 quickfire questions ('Who have you met, where have you eaten, how much did this lens cost you, what do your parents do?... )', then soldier A left the room, and soldier B came in and repeated the entire script, every question again... I have a lot of sympathy for Israel and the Israelis, perhaps more than many people, but it hardly endeared me to the place. You get a similar kind of paranoia in Lebanon, but it's not quite SO intense.

p.s. yes I had the same situation as you, once with my (then) American wife. Me hauled off, and her with no idea where I was...

[zzm9980]

p.s. yes I had the same situation as you, once with my (then) American wife. Me hauled off, and her with no idea where I was...

Curious, did you and your wife queue separately? We just normally all queue together and go to the citizens line, even though the wife isn't.

[JR8]

Curious, did you and your wife queue separately? We just normally all queue together and go to the citizens line, even though the wife isn't.

Phoo, maybe 15yrs ago now, (thank God). My XW would have gone through, perhaps ostensibly to get our bags but more probably to spend $1k of my money in duty free.

I wouldn't be allowed into the citizens line, so I'd be with the tourists, waiting for a couple of hours (and then being interrogated). On occasions 'getting through' (immigration) might take perhaps 4 hours.