US named as most hostile place for tourists and visa seekers

[TheWart]

Originally posted by: spacejamz
does the US or Europe have a bigger problem with tourists getting pickpocketed or having personal belongings stolen?

The last two trips thats my wife's relatives have been on in Paris and Rome have involved getting pickpocketed and then having a camera bag stolen...apparently these two cities have alot of incidents of these occurring, but not sure how those stats stack up against tourists visiting the US...

People in Europe are not fazed by this because after years of it going on, they have learned to watch their belongings very well. From little things, like wearing your backpack/purse in front of you, to knowing which metro stops to avoid, etc. It is definitely a shock for most americans, and when I went over to France and Spain it was amazing how many people would try and steal your stuff. Thankfully we all were aware of the problem and none of us had any issues.

As for the "likability" of custom agents...I have to say that of all the countries I have been to, all have been equally cool, and rightfully so imo. Their job is not to make your life fun, it is to weed out those that don't belong here. The ones in Germany were extremely hostile and grumpy, but whatever. I personally think calling the whole country "hostile" b/c the custom guards are not friendly is a bit excessive. It is like saying everyone in Paris is rude after meeting a rude Parisian at Charles de Gaulle airport.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: thesurge

Teachers are respected = over-educated. what?

here i fix:

Education does not equal intelligence. Most people (in countries where schooling is pushed hard and teachers are respected) are over-educated.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Exterous

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: Exterous
Is it just me or does anyone else think that surveying slightly over 2000 people does not a fact make? Besides the fact that those surveyed were talking about Visas and immigration officials and not customs officials. If they want to talk about difficult to immigrant to - look at Mexico's restrictions.

Also, it is not disclosed what 16 countries these people are coming from

The article shows nothing regarding the reasons behind the drop in tourism

Grade: C-

Customs officials were never the focal point of the article, so I'm not sure why you are bringing them up. They simply prevent bad articles from coming in, stop smuggling, and tax dutied good.

The problem is with the attitude and nature of the immigration officials, and the difficulty in obtaining a visa post 9/11.

The point was more that the title says "U.S. is most unfriendly country to visitors" yet does nothing to show that we are unfriendly to tourists. The only support the article has for its argument of 'unfriendly-ness' is that visitors think the people they attain a visa or immigration papers from are rude. If you are a tourist you generally do not have to deal with these people, only customs agents. Lacking any other written argument to show that these tourists are dealing with 'unfriendly' people, a large part of the argument is lost.

You are showing quite a high level of ignorance. Outside of the VWP (Visa Waiver Program), most people require a visa to VISIT or be a TOURIST in the United States. Additionally, anyone on the VWP still has to satisfy ICE (Immigrations and Custom Enforcement) when they arrive at the United States.

I take it you've either never been out of the United States, or your viewpoint is that of a myopic US Citizen who only knows a world of Visa Free travel.

Furthermore, only 27 countries participate in the VWP, and China and India don't happen to be among them -- two emerging economies with a suddenly burgeoning populace that wants to travel. Finally, the VWP still only allows 90 days, and anytime longer than that and you'd need a visa.

Everyone encounters ICE when entering the US. Even US Citizens. So, to say that tourists don't generally deal with ICE or obtaining Visas is laughable. Finally, most Visas are obtained at a Consulate or Embassy, and those folks tend to be decently friendly. It is the ICE Officer that inspects your Visa at the POE that people have a problem with. That, and increased security measures that see people in the VWP harassed, and Visa traveling Tourists pretty much berated just for even trying to enter the US. Having a visa or being in the VWP doesn't mean your allowed in. The one person who makes that decision is the ICE officer that processes you.

 

[Exterous]

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: Exterous

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: Exterous
Is it just me or does anyone else think that surveying slightly over 2000 people does not a fact make? Besides the fact that those surveyed were talking about Visas and immigration officials and not customs officials. If they want to talk about difficult to immigrant to - look at Mexico's restrictions.

Also, it is not disclosed what 16 countries these people are coming from

The article shows nothing regarding the reasons behind the drop in tourism

Grade: C-

Customs officials were never the focal point of the article, so I'm not sure why you are bringing them up. They simply prevent bad articles from coming in, stop smuggling, and tax dutied good.

The problem is with the attitude and nature of the immigration officials, and the difficulty in obtaining a visa post 9/11.

The point was more that the title says "U.S. is most unfriendly country to visitors" yet does nothing to show that we are unfriendly to tourists. The only support the article has for its argument of 'unfriendly-ness' is that visitors think the people they attain a visa or immigration papers from are rude. If you are a tourist you generally do not have to deal with these people, only customs agents. Lacking any other written argument to show that these tourists are dealing with 'unfriendly' people, a large part of the argument is lost.

You are showing quite a high level of ignorance. Outside of the VWP (Visa Waiver Program), most people require a visa to VISIT or be a TOURIST in the United States. Additionally, anyone on the VWP still has to satisfy ICE (Immigrations and Custom Enforcement) when they arrive at the United States.

I take it you've either never been out of the United States, or your viewpoint is that of a myopic US Citizen who only knows a world of Visa Free travel.

Furthermore, only 27 countries participate in the VWP, and China and India don't happen to be among them -- two emerging economies with a suddenly burgeoning populace that wants to travel. Finally, the VWP still only allows 90 days, and anytime longer than that and you'd need a visa.

Everyone encounters ICE when entering the US. Even US Citizens. So, to say that tourists don't generally deal with ICE or obtaining Visas is laughable. Finally, most Visas are obtained at a Consulate or Embassy, and those folks tend to be decently friendly. It is the ICE Officer that inspects your Visa at the POE that people have a problem with. That, and increased security measures that see people in the VWP harassed, and Visa traveling Tourists pretty much berated just for even trying to enter the US. Having a visa or being in the VWP doesn't mean your allowed in. The one person who makes that decision is the ICE officer that processes you.

Well, to start off, your assumptions about my nationality and travel habits are very very wrong. Please ask next time before you assume. I visited the US many many times before becoming a citizen. (Although it was always under the waiver program) I have found that as long as you can speak reasonably clear English (As a second language I speak it with an accent) and are polite I have never been hassled at an International Airport. (FYI- I travel outside the US 2-4 times a year).

I know that the ICE has to be satisfied when you arrive but I believe it is the 'C' side that is satisfied. It was my understanding that Customs officials were those who dealt with incoming visitors and Immigration officials dealt with those trying to immigrate (ie - move to) the US. They may still be an ICE officer but do all ICE officers deal with immigration or do they have specialties? I would appreciate a link or article providing more information - but perhaps I am getting hung up on semantics.

I will admit I was unaware that only 27 countries participate in the VWP. Being from western Europe I never encountered anyone who had traveled to the US who needed a visa - so I appoligize for my blanket statement.

Regardless, if the article's intent was to include ALL of ICE then it is misleading as it states "U.S. immigration officials were rude" (Note the lack of capitalization on 'immigration' or use of the ICE moniker leading me to believe that it is only including issues dealing with immigration) and according to the American Herritage Dictionary (The only one I have handy at my desk) immigration = "To enter AND SETTLE in a country or region to which one is not native" Hence my understanding of the statement is that it does not include people whos intent is only to visit. Perhaps this is a misunderstanding on my part and - if that is proven - I do appologize

 

[z0mb13]

Totally agreed. This is one of the reasons why I decided to leave the country.

Getting a tourist visa is hard, they basically herd the people like cattle here in Indonesia just to get a frikkin tourist visa. Heck these people will actually SPEND money in your country!

What is even worse is getting a work visa. Man the loopholes you have to jump through. I know tons of smart educated people that had to leave the country simply because they cant get a work visa.

 

[freegeeks]

My best friend just moved from Belgium to the USA (Boston) to start working for a well known tech company
when entering the USA his name was put wrongly into the immigration database and he had nothing but trouble since then
he can't get a social security number which means he doesn't get paid, has trouble renting an appartment. etc....

he described the bureaucracy he endured when trying to rectify things as even worse then in socialist paradise Belgium. In his ows words
"the people at DHS, immigration and customs are by far the dumbest idiots I have ever met in my life" which says a lot because he knows me
for the last month he almost had a full time job trying to fix their screw up.

My personal experience with US customs / immigration as a tourist is the same, most of them are just rude and arrogant, but when you finally get passed them it's all good, I find in general that the USA is a very nice country to visit with friendly people