US to tighten visa restrictions

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Title – US to tighten visa restrictions
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 3rd June 2008

It is always important when preparing to travel that you don’t assume nothing has changed. In a post ‘9/11’ world, governments across the world are looking for new ways to secure their borders and we can expect further restrictions and security measures to come and go in the months and years to come.

This new change in the US entry requirements does not add a layer of bureaucracy it just means people from the UK (and other visa waiver qualifying countries) will need to be more organised in completing an existing layer.

As we understand it what is effectively happening is that where previously half way through a flight to the USA the airline staff would walk down the aisle handing out ‘immigration cards’, you will now have to fill these details in online before you fly.

The key here is in the planning, forget to do it and you are likely to face sanction, be prevented from boarding your flight or deported on arrival. Although there is a ‘provision for last-minute travel’ this is likely to come with a caveat that you have good reason for late travel and not simply that you forgot. You must fill in the form online at least 3 days before you travel and it will be effective for 2 years; our advice is to fill it in as soon as you know you are going to travel, you can then tick it off your list of preparations.

Customs and immigration can present hurdles to any trip, but there is no point in arguing with them. They are notorious at following the rules to the letter and the rules can be quite strict. Answer all and any questions as honestly as you can and in most cases they will be reasonable, if ever you are unsure then always err on the side of caution. For example, going from Asia to Australia (where quarantine laws are very strict in order to protect their fragile ecosystem) many travellers will have bought souvenirs that will need to be declared. Declare them, even if you are unsure. Quarantine officers will happily examine your article and tell you if it can be taken into the country and sometimes items that might otherwise be refused will be treated for you to remove any concerns they may have. Do it the other way round and not declare it when you are unsure and when they find the offending article (as they inevitably will), be prepared for a fine, the loss of your item and potentially more serious consequences including in the worst cases deportation and / or conviction.

Be sensible when you are going through borders, joking when it comes to the question asking ‘are a terrorist’ or joking that your water bottle contains something other than water, will only end up in long delays, missed flights and arrests. There is always a time and a place; customs, immigration and quarantine are a time and place to be very honest, very serious and very open.

During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine all aspects of travel planning including visa requirements for your destination(s).

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