From: Rich Collins (nilsi2002@gmail.com)
Date: Sat Nov 22 2008 - 17:20:50 ARST
I'm American and was born in the US but have seen way back in the
early 90's. I had visited Pakistan as a tourist in the mid 80's for 6
weeks. Anyway during any period of heightened airport security I
would be always quizzed about that visa - questions such as whether I
met anyone during that visit. I couldn't tell them that it was
unbelievable the number of people I met and gotten to know at least
fleetingly. That quizzing continued until that particular passport
expired.
-Rich
On Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 1:24 PM, <sheherezada@gmail.com> wrote:
> 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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>>
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>
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