US to impose stricter visa rule

[MissHoneychurch]

Passengers travelling to the United States from countries whose citizens do not need visas must register online with the US government at least 72 hours before departure, in the latest measure to strengthen American security.

The new rule is expected to be announced on Tuesday by Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security secretary, and take effect in January.

Visitors leaving US face tighter security - Apr-22Brussels and US pledge visa-free travel - Mar-14US visa dispute divides the EU - Mar-12Visitors to Europe face fingerprinting - Feb-14New ID rules overwhelm US - Aug-15Agencies scramble to help business travellers - Aug-15European companies last year expressed concern after the Homeland Security department floated the idea of requiring passengers to register 48 hours in advance, believing it could complicate last-minute business travel. Although the new rule requires 72 hours advance registration, it will be valid for multiple entries over a two-year period.
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More http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/2a8dbbfe-30d8-11dd-bc93-000077b07658.html

What else????? How about the US government forbids tourists to come at all!! Now there is a solution to the problem :sarcasm:

[Selatius]

1. If this keeps up, one day, we won't be able to leave the US anymore. We will become East Berlin:

[MissHoneychurch]

2. I am one of the tourists that has to give all those information already

and now that????? It really starts to make me think twice if I want to visit. I really hope the next president will take some of those restrictions back again. It takes ages already to get through the immigration.

[WritersBlock]

3. Tourism? We don't need no stinking tourism!

Or business travel or travel from abroad to visit family....

The US official said the government decided that a pilot run was not necessary because the programme was not particularly complicated.

The US originally intended to call the programme ETA but chose ESTA after Spanish officials expressed reservations because of the Basque separatist group also known as Eta.

Those two sentences tell us everything we need to know in order to anticipate just how much of a clusterfuck this has the capacity of becoming.

[MissHoneychurch]

4. It is already a clusterfuck

and the waiting times at the immigration grows and grows. Eye scan, fingerprint scan, stupid questions ... you already feel like a suspect without doing anything.

[WritersBlock]

5. True, that.

My Brit better half and I are making what will most likely be our last happy visit to the States together this summer. After this trip, I'll probably make solo journeys to see family, because he's got this thing against being treated like a criminal, so he doesn't see any point in doing it for fun.

The only other time I reckon he'll go with me again will be to attend my father's funeral, which, God willing, won't be for a good few more years.

[MissHoneychurch]

6. I thought it is easier for people married to an American

guess I was wrong.

I think I will still come to the US because I like the people and have friends there. But the immigration is a pain in the ass. Beside, they already have all my information. I am in the system already.

I know people though who won't visit the US because of the harrassment at the immigration.