Proposed New US entry requirement

[tashasmum]

We have just read this in The Times

Visitors to US must fill in online form

Visitors to the United States will have to fill in an online form 48 hours before travelling under proposals to tighten up security in the wake of terrorism plots (David Charter writes).

Although no visa is required for short-stay tourists from Britain and 26 other countries, the US authorities want extra time to check details currently provided upon arrival on a paper visa waiver form or sent electronically by airlines as the flight is about to depart.

The online form is expected to ask whether the visitor has a communicable disease or has ever taken part in “genocide, espionage, sabotage or terrorist activity”.

Visa waiver applicants are also asked whether they are drug abusers, have a physical or mental disorder or whether they have been arrested or convicted for an offence involving moral turpitude or a controlled substance.

Michael Chertoff, the US Homeland Security Secretary, told a meeting in Brussels that details of the system had yet to be agreed by Congress.


Who in the right mind is going to answer yes I've been involved in Genocide and I'll be over for my Hols in 2 Days time

 

[paulh]

even in this day and age not everone has a computer or acces to the internet.So how will they fill it in?
Paulh

 

[Hodkys]

I'm waiting for US Immigration to start taking mouth swabs so they have a DNA record. My DS will be 9 months when we travel this July - he's very willing to share his 'dribbles' with anyone at the moment. Oh the joys of teething.

 

[paulh]

wil my adrs for the 2 weeks be ok insted of were i`m staying
Paulh

 

[AlanUK]

I thought this was what all the advance passenger information the airlines already collected was being used for :

I also don't see what potential threat they think this is going to stop as anyone intelligent enough to be doing the type of thing they are really interested in stopping isn't going to break into a sweat about this!

Whatever happens though I'll happily fill it out as I have nothing to hide and I would also be interested to see what they list as crimes involving 'moral turpitude' as it's an interesting debate as to what is and what isn't

 

[diddldonna]

I have just filled out a similar form for virgin holiday online, so maybe they have started already. I had to give all passenger details, where we was staying and so on which we did last time on the plane. Will we have to redo these on the plane as well?

Donna

 

[Claire L]

I have just filled out a similar form for virgin holiday online, so maybe they have started already. I had to give all passenger details, where we was staying and so on which we did last time on the plane. Will we have to redo these on the plane as well?

Donna

What you filled out was the Advance Passenger Information (API) and that has been running for well over a year now. You also have to answer virtually the same questions on your Visa Waiver Form for handing in at Immigration when you land.

Claire

 

[diddldonna]

What you filled out was the Advance Passenger Information (API) and that has been running for well over a year now. You also have to answer virtually the same questions on your Visa Waiver Form for handing in at Immigration when you land.

Claire

So i have to fill this all in again i thought this was instead of. I hate those forms. Oh well, better prepare myself, lol.

Donna

 

[tashasmum]

So i have to fill this all in again i thought this was instead of. I hate those forms. Oh well, better prepare myself, lol.

Donna

After ten trips DH still gets the form wrong at the same point every time

If they bring this in, better check what he fills in online or we may never get in

 

[UKDEB]

Who in the right mind is going to answer yes I've been involved in Genocide and I'll be over for my Hols in 2 Days time

Quite. What on earth do they suppose this will achieve?

 

[SimonV]

It sounds like another typical case of the media getting things round their neck again

The airlines are being asked to provide API as far in advance as possible to save time at check-in (when the majority are still providing their details). You can fill in your API details almost as soon as you make a booking online these days, and it is simply a case of name and address details while in the States. The Times are getting the API and Visa Waiver forms mixed up here. In actual fact, it would be a good idea if you could provide your Visa Waiver form details in advance as it would save time at the other end! But it is simply a case of the US immigration authorities wanting as much of the same info in advance if possible. No-one is going to turn up at the airport and find out they can't go on the flight because they hadn't filled in an online form in advance. Well done the Times for yet another scare story that has no basis in reality. If these reporters had to survive on being accurate, none of them would be in a job for 5 minutes............

 

[MorningGlory]

Homeland security v Tourism.

I think some of the recent drop in visitor numbers to the US can be attributed to this. The US views security a greater asset than tourism imo.

Who could blame them? The 9/11 bombers slipped through the immigration net. Given the case of Richard Reid and the London bombings, the UK could well be a higher risk for the US intelligence services than many other places.

 

[paulh]

one thing i did hear about was that they wanted uk passport holders with pakistani or similar oragins have to aply for a visa.Think the home office dident want this
Paulh

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I don't blame them one iota.
I do wish this country was more bothered about terrorists and who is walking into this land.
Of course the terrorists will use this country if they see that its easier to get into the USA by posing as a Briton than other countries, especially as its so easy to get a British passport compared to other countries.

 

[wicket2005]

I don't blame them one iota.
I do wish this country was more bothered about terrorists and who is walking into this land.
Of course the terrorists will use this country if they see that its easier to get into the USA by posing as a Briton than other countries, especially as its so easy to get a British passport compared to other countries.

I was just going to make this point myself. Our security appears to be so lax. My son went to Paris with a coach load of students, no one checked who was on the coach going or coming back. It would have been so easy to smuggle someone back in.

 

[SimonV]

As a quick up-date, I had a long chat with someone from a governmental organisation yesterday about this situation, and there are come changes in the offing, but only if they are approved by the Senate in the next few weeks (not a given, by any means).

The first part of the proposal is to introduce something called Advance Electronic Travel Authorisation (AETA), which is an advanced version of the current API (and is actually based on the arrivals process for Australia). This is basically much of the same info that we currently fill in on the Visa Waiver forms, and it should help to speed up the immigration process as they will be able to match up the forms wth the AETA and process people just that bit quicker. That is the good news.

This also follows on from the impending introduction of the 10-finger scan (rather than the current left index and right index fingers required for all incoming visitors), which is currently being trailed in several gateways (but not Orlando at the moment). I am assured the technolofy being brought in for the new 10-finger scan will NOT appreciably add to the immigration process time (they say it should take between 1-2 seconds extra per person), and it will wipe out the small number of 'false positive' readings currently being given by the 1-finger scan.

The bad news (potentially), is that the bill being put to the Senate is also part of a proposal to introduce a small fee (in the region of $5-$10) for visa waiver programme arrivals. This would be to kick-start a major new US marketing campaign, for which the givernment will not put their hand in their pocket (I guess as the UK government refuses to fund British inbound tourism directly, and just taxes people through the APD to boot).

It is an 'interesting' proposal, to say the least, and, while I can understand why they would want to try it, I think the UK media will have a field day with making it seem like a tax on anyone visiting the US under the VWP. As we already know, many countries already levy either an exit or entry fee for their countries (Turkey is a prime example, with a GBP10 entry fee), so this is nothing new; however, it IS new for a country that has never seen fit to charge anyone to visit before (unless you need to obtain a visa).

As I say, it is still only a proposal at the moment, and it would still have to get through the Senate at a time when it is something of an unknown quantity, so watch this space, as they say.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I wonder if its worth all forum members emailing the senators for Florida objecting to the new Tax and that it will effect tourism into Florida?

 

[wicket2005]

Thanks for that information Simon. If entry can be speeded up into the USA I am all for it. Not so keen on having all my fingers scanned, last year it took ages to get two fingers scanned, by the end of it, my fingers were sweating, thought I wasn't going to be allowed in, horrible experience. Not much to say about the fee, it would be something I would have to fork out for, as I would rather visit Orlando but just adds to the overall cost x 4.

 

[AlanUK]

I don't mind providing any information or having my fingerprints scanned and I can see why some of the information is useful and indeed that having the information as early as possible assists the authorities in protecting their borders.

I really can't see the point though of asking someone if they are a terrorist or have been involved in genocide as everyone is going to answer no.

I also can't see how we can really object to a small fee to use the VWP when virtually every western european country levies some sort of airport tax and the alternative is to go through the expense and hassle of getting a full Visa.

 

[tashasmum]

I don't mind providing any information or having my fingerprints scanned and I can see why some of the information is useful and indeed that having the information as early as possible assists the authorities in protecting their borders.

I really can't see the point though of asking someone if they are a terrorist or have been involved in genocide as everyone is going to answer no.

I also can't see how we can really object to a small fee to use the VWP when virtually every western european country levies some sort of airport tax and the alternative is to go through the expense and hassle of getting a full Visa.

I totally agree, I will happily fill in any form especially online before we fly if it speeds up immigration, they can fingerprint me to their hearts content as we have nothing to hide and a small fee won't disuade us from going to Florida. We flew to Florida the Oct just after 9/11 and happily went through the additonal security as its for all our benefit but I just think they should think a bit more about the questions.