[MartynSinclair]

The ESTA is a great income generation scheme for the Americans. The kind of “business plan” I wish I was allowed to create. The income is only going to increase, becasue every two years, along comes an email asking you to renew. The $ price is bound to increase. Isnt this how the mafia used to operate!

I can just imagine the uproar if the UK tried imposing similar charges to Americans entering the UK. There is enough problems trying to get the US embassy staff in London to pay the congestion charge. They have got around this by claiming its a tax & not a fee and as such, they are not liable to pay taxes (or something similar)!

The Americans have been able to send a man to the moon (and back), without a passport, but try entering the USA from somewhere a little closer and all hell lets lose!!!

[RichHI1]

Would you prefer the old system where you had to apply for a B1 or B2 visa? Australia and many other countries still do this.

[MartynSinclair]

I would very much prefer if the US recognized my B1 visa which is still valid, stamped and marked “Multiple entry, valid Indefinitely”. It may be in an old passport but it still appears valid.

[RichHI1]

Then you just have to get it put in your current passport but I suspect there will be a fee for that. Many people who need 6 months stays not 3 months have done this.

[MartynSinclair]

Rich, if only life were that simple.

Its probably easier to get an audience with the Pope (or the Chief Rabbi in my case) than being able to make an appointment with the people in Grosvensor Square or wherever they are moving to.

The process of having to book an appointment, taking a day off and then lining up for hours on end, does not sound appealing, only to get a sticker that says I can stay up to 6 months for the validity of my passport. Yes there is a fee, I would happily pay double if I got a decent service.

One of my challenges is to try and obtain a US driving license so I can buy a car in the states. However, with a 3 months / 6 month visa, my US driving license will only be valid for the term of my visa and then expire, meaning a new license will have to be issued each time I visit the states, meaning I dont qualify for local car insurance rates.

Shame I am not excluded from certain items in my US property taxes, which I pay but I am not entitled to use.

So you may understand why I feel so strongly about the way I am treated by the immigration service.

The answer is not to stay away from the states, I love everything about the country, except for their dumb ass rules at border control.

[RichHI1]

I guess you already talked to your attorneys about an investor visa? Though you will still stand in line…
Also, as you will know Drivng License rules vary dramatically by State though if you have already purchased property in a particular state that may not help you.
Mazel tov!

[MartynSinclair]

Members – please excuse this slight drift between Rich and me:

The story goes, we bought in Florida in the late 90’s, bought a car as we had 10 year visas then. Obtained state driving license, in fact it was converted from an old California license. All worked hunky dory, until after 9/11 when the 10 year visa’s were not going to be renewed. Which meant that the driving license was only going to be valid (see above to stop repetition). Ended up selling the car.

Yes we have seen US attorney, but I am not prepared to invest $500,000 into an investment outside of my comfort factor.

I am shortly to start enjoying the benefits of my working life by taking the benefits of my pension (401K – still havnt worked out which side of the pond you live – but thats a side bar) and financially, i will be contributing to the US economy and not taking.

If you have any ideas my email address is name as you see it plus @hotmail.com

[IanFromHKG]

Every US airport I have ever been through has been an imigration nightmare. Plenty of 2-hour waits at JFK. Eventually I wised up to the same trick as M. Moose – even though I travel on a British passport, as an APEC Business Travel Card holder (sorry, not available to UK-resident Brits) I can use the aircrew channel.

Woo-hoo!! Cartwheels all round, until I tried to do a transit from LHR through DFW to CLT and had to go through the insane process of collecting my (through-tagged) luggage and clear customs and immigration in transit. Which took two hours. Of a scheduled 2 hour 25 minute connection. An additional quarter of an hour of which was spent waiting for my (priority-tagged) bags to appear. Thank heavens the incoming flight was early. I made the connection, just barely, but was out of breath, out of temper, suffering from backache from standing still so long, and generally horrified at the sheer incompetence of it all. The only good thing about it was that all the Americans were suffering too so I didn’t feel as actively discriminated against as some contributors to this thread.

[RichHI1]

Connections are almost always lousy. My worst experiences are JFK and LHR, both with Terminal changes, JFK with Immigration and customs and LHR with bus ride and security check at T3 from T5. The only really nice connection I have done recently was at HKG with Cathay Pacific and it was very very smooth (as you would expect) even with the train rides…

[CathayLoyalist]

Most Airport Authorities have little regard for “Customer Service” in fact they probably do not see it as a factor in their work. You see that manifest itself in the treatment you get at Immigration.at far too many airports. There are exceptions notably Singapore, where I live, and Hong Kong which has a fast track entry. My experience with the USA is pretty good. For East Coast travel I can and do arrive on CX at the AA terminal at 7.00am which is empty. If it’s LAX then you hold your breath. SFO is much better. Someone above suggested spacing arrivals but there are too many variables, airports losing landing fee revenue, on long haul fligths head or tail winds can increase or decrease flight times by an hour either way, ATC traffic flow restrictions, high winds at airports plus airports that are simply to busy. Things will only change when there is a substantial Mind Set change at Governemt level meaning a crackdown on incompetent management i.e. LHR at Xmas, and a drive to recruit service orientated Senior Management. … and the odds of that happening are ……..???

[LPPSKrisflyer]

@CathayLoylalist: You make good points. Of course we are not really the airport customers it’s the airlines. There are airports which choose to provide amazing service to pax like SIN but the majority know it’s a sellers market like LHR where pax just have to put up and shut up.

The airlines aren’t interested in making waves. I can remember LHR having major queues at security about five years ago (yes, far worse than now!) and the only advice BA would give was to turn up earlier to queue! If the airport’s major customer was saying that what chance have passengers got because in reality, we have little or more often no choice.

[CathayLoyalist]

Yes PPS Kris Flyer you are right about who the customer is. Also if Immigration woes put you into the equivalent of a coma the new SQ website will probably finish you off.. There is already another thread on that so will not labour the point here!.

[JohnnyEnglish]

JFK and IAD generally 40-60 mins. However, the (only) advantage of flying with LOT to Newark a year ago was cruising through to landside within 10 minutes of getting out of the plane.

After my last trip I have resolved to no longer travel to the USA (unless for business) until they make life a bit easier for us. After all, here is still the rest of the civilised world to enjoy!

[RichHI1]

Hmmm, cradle of civilization, sounds like Babylon, that’s Iraq right?

[stevescoots]

HK Ian, you lucky soul!

I have been after a Apec card, unfortunatly even though I have china residancy it only applies to china passport holders 🙁 and i dont want the HK residancy card for tax reasons 🙁

[Author]

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