From: sheherezada@gmail.com
Date: Sat Nov 22 2008 - 16:24:18 ARST
You will be fine, don't worry.
However, I can't refrain telling the story of my first seeing an US
customs officer. The purpose of my visit was attending Cisco Live in
Orlando. Two years before I was working for IBM, and they sent me to
Pakistan for a week (actually, I volunteered, but this is another
story). When the officer saw my Pakistani business visa, he turned
white. After 22 hours travel time, the dialogue was like this: "What
is the purpose of your visit?" [blah blah blah Cisco conference]"
"What's your profession?" "Network engineer." "Did you say Chemical
engineer?"... After two more lines like this, he left he left his
desk, probably consulted his boss who probably told him that if I had
some paramilitary training in Pakistan, they would not have sent me to
the US two years after... Anyway, I was not allowed to stay not even
one more day past conference closure... Next time I was in the US, I
had no problem, but the officer still stared at my Pakistani visa
("Oh, I see you visited Pakistan")...
My point is that there is always a chance to meet an overzealous
brain-washed officer. You can't control this. It just happens all
over the planet.
Good luck with your exam!
Mihai
On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 2:41 PM, Con Spathas <ccie19226@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Gday,
>
> I've heard/read some horror stories of people being turned away at US
> Customs/Immigration due to incorrect paperwork etc.
>
> From what I understand I don't need a visa getting into the US on an
> Australian passport (which has the new-style data chip in it).
> However what do I tell them when I arrive? If I tell them I'm going there
> for a lab with Cisco - could that be implied that it's "work" related and
> subsequently require a visa of some kind?
>
> I suppose I'm trying to get a feel from folks who have traveled to the US to
> sit a lab and what they said to customs officials and wrote on their
> immigration card.
>
> To be honest I'm probably making a mountain out of an ant-hill re this but
> last thing I'd want is to get turned away and miss my chance at sitting the
> lab.
> My wife is tagging along as well - she has the same style passport.
>
> Cheers,
> Con...
>
>
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