VWP could be scaled back - Visa's for all Brits

[mozzman]

i think i would get a visa this time (well 7 )but if it was chaos at the embassy not sure i have the patience to hang about,i could go to port adventura in spain instead and tell the kids its disney

 

[Dead-metal]

i think i would get a visa this time (well 7 )but if it was chaos at the embassy not sure i have the patience to hang about,i could go to port adventura in spain instead and tell the kids its disney

And save a fortune!!!!!!

 

[tigger137]

When we went in the 80s our visa were issued from the US consulate in Edinburgh. My visa only lasted until my 16th birthday but both my parents were issued with lifetime visas (dont know if that was because they were ex forces/civil service maybe? )

We obtained visas in the 90s and they are marked "Indefinite". They didn't cost anything to get, we just sent the paperwork to the Embassy. It used to be that when you needed a new passport you didn't necessarily need to get a new visa, you could just carry the old passport which contained the visa. However, when they started limiting the issuing of visas and making them last only 10 years, they started cancelling these "Indefinite" visas if they saw them in your passport. This happened to my brother. We still have ours, in our old passports, but now just use the VWP.

If they do scrap the VWP they will have to come up with a better system for obtaining a visa than everyone having to present themselves at the Embassy in London.

 

[Tartan Tigger]

I've nothing against getting a visa so long as it can be done in Glasgow or Edinburgh. If I have to travel to London for one then I won't be visiting America, simple as that!!!

 

[pauldents]

Source: The SUN

Does anyone still pay any attention to that comic anymore?

 

[ely3857]

Altough in favour of anything to make the world safer I wouldnt be happy doing anything that simply gives money to the US. If these visa's were time consuming, difficult and expensive to come by then DLRP would become my second home. And of course if the 9/11 bombers had no criminal past surely the US Ambassay would have had no grounds to refuse them one? If they refused anyone who 'looked' like a bomber there would be a lot of Human Rights lawyers ready to sue on behalf of the 'misunderstood'



Jodie

 

[Claire L]

Why is everyone getting so worried about the prospect of having to get a visa?? For alot of countries you need a visa such as Australia, which you would of thought would of been ok as it is in the Commonwealth!
If it is en masse then they will change the system for postal application from most people who would of met the VWP criteria.

Claire

 

[patdavies]

Why is everyone getting so worried about the prospect of having to get a visa?? For alot of countries you need a visa such as Australia, which you would of thought would of been ok as it is in the Commonwealth!
If it is en masse then they will change the system for postal application from most people who would of met the VWP criteria.

Claire

A visa for Australia is simply a money raising exercise - nothing to do with security.

If the US authorities allow postal application, then what would the point be? So I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Politically, I don't think that the US can simply remove the UK from the VWP when we are supposed to be their "greatest ally".

Personally, if visas are going to be required in future - and it's a big if - then I will not be having a criminal record check just to go on holiday. This family will find somewhere else to go where you are not automatically treated like a criminal just because you want to enter the country.

 

[Mike Jones]

Personally, if visas are going to be required in future - and it's a big if - then I will not be having a criminal record check just to go on holiday. This family will find somewhere else to go where you are not automatically treated like a criminal just because you want to enter the country.

... I think it comes down to how strongly you want to go to the States. I would personally go to a lot of trouble to get a visa, if necessary, as I have a strong desire to keep taking my holidays there. I don't care much about being 'considered a criminal' as I know I am not and have nothing to hide. Let's face it, it's already a hassle getting to WDW in time and expense terms... you can have much cheaper hols in easier destinations, but, as members of forums like this, we share a bit of a passion for the place (most of my workmates and friends think I'm crackers already!).. I'd go the extra mile until it became intolerable in practical terms, not the emotive ones.

Mike

 

[wayneg]

If flights are safer I welcome anything they do. We go to US upto 4 times a year so if it saves me filling in the silly forms on the plane I dont mind getting a visa. Even if I have to go to London its only a 3 hour drive, we go down once or twice a year to see a Westend show anyway.
You never know it might put enough UK travellers off for us to be able to drive up International drive without delays and lines at theme parks might be shorter

 

[Frances999]

Well maybe we should do the same to the US. Seems we are a bit lax letting other folks into the country. Maybe we could make everyone in the US have to travel to DC to get their visa. Yup, I think I'll propose this....

I absolutely agree!

“Protecting America, Americans and American interests is the No1 priority.”

It's a shame that we don't seem to have that kind of enthusiam over here.

 

[patdavies]

so if it saves me filling in the silly forms on the plane I dont mind getting a visa.

Having a visa does not change the need to fill in a form on the aircraft. With a visa, you have to complete a white 1-94 instead of the green I-94W for the VWP.

 

[AlanUK]

I struggle to see how in particular this move is going to make it any safer as I would assume all airline passenger details are screened by the relevant authorities at some stage in the process for security reasons anyway.

I can't really see under what circumstances a Visa interview is going to reveal that someone is a terrorist planning to blow up a plane when all the other security checks have failed to spot them.

It would seem to me that this move would put off a lot of travellers for very little gain and it wouldn't surprise me if the US Authorities came to a similar conclusion after looking into it properly.

 

[yo-ho-yo-ho]

Selective Profiling is the way forward, its not like the U.K hasn't done it before.

 

[Goofyish]

The current Visa Waiver form already asks if you are involved in any terrorist activity, so surely that will identify any terrorists entering the US.

 

[AlanUK]

The current Visa Waiver form already asks if you are involved in any terrorist activity, so surely that will identify any terrorists entering the US.

An ideal question designed entirely to trip up any potential bombers

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

It would be interesting to know
a) How many visitors Florida gets in a year
b) How many are Britons/Arabs/Muslims

 

[JANNYANS]

On todays US Embassy website

Notice regarding recent media articles: The Visa Waiver Program is under constant review to ensure the security of U.S. borders and the safety of air travel. However, despite recent media stories about possible changes to the Visa Waiver Program, there are no current plans to modify the Visa Waiver Program.

 

[patdavies]

I struggle to see how in particular this move is going to make it any safer as I would assume all airline passenger details are screened by the relevant authorities at some stage in the process for security reasons anyway.

I can't really see under what circumstances a Visa interview is going to reveal that someone is a terrorist planning to blow up a plane when all the other security checks have failed to spot them.

It would seem to me that this move would put off a lot of travellers for very little gain and it wouldn't surprise me if the US Authorities came to a similar conclusion after looking into it properly.

The main difference is that for a visa you are required to supply a copy of your criminal record (or lack of one)

 

[magicmouse2]

I struggle to see how in particular this move is going to make it any safer as I would assume all airline passenger details are screened by the relevant authorities at some stage in the process for security reasons anyway.

I can't really see under what circumstances a Visa interview is going to reveal that someone is a terrorist planning to blow up a plane when all the other security checks have failed to spot them.

It would seem to me that this move would put off a lot of travellers for very little gain and it wouldn't surprise me if the US Authorities came to a similar conclusion after looking into it properly.

I totally agree.