Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I hear a lot of news from Poland all the time, when the United States adds Poland to the Visa Waiver Program that is already available to its neighbors such as Czech Republic or Latvia, Estonia.
People on the news forum, talk about how they would want to reciprocate with visa on Americans. Even though I pointed out, that while Polish have to go through more burdensome bureaucratic tape to get permission to enter the United States, tourists on B1/B2 visa have more rights and privileges than people on the VWP. For example, on VWP you can only stay up to 90 days and if you are sent back home at the airport, you cannot appeal to court like visa holders. Despite that my comment got down-votes, most likely by people who would never visit the US in the first place even if Poland was included in the VWP. Also Poles automatically get 10 year visa and it is no longer as difficult to get as it used to be as long as you prove ties to your country of residence.
Colombians are also generally pleased, getting a Visa to the US is relatively simple now, and again as you said usually valid for 10 years, eventually they would like to be included in the ESTA program also but understand they need to get the deportee numbers down to below 5% first.
Even the so-called visa waiver feels like a visa to me. You have to pay a fee for ESTA, when you're at the POI you need to have your photo and prints taken... I think other countries should reciprocate this process for Americans who travel there visa-free.
Even the so-called visa waiver feels like a visa to me. You have to pay a fee for ESTA, when you're at the POI you need to have your photo and prints taken... I think other countries should reciprocate this process for Americans who travel there visa-free.
ESTA is a travel authorization, it is like an electronic visa but it does not qualify for the term.
Canada and Australia do the same. EU is planning to implement ESTA like policies on Schengen zonr on visitors from outside.
Mexico requires filling FMM (tourist card) and you pay for it in the price of fligtht ticket, or if you come by land you have to obtain it from immigration and pay for it at a bank before you can leave the country. It is like a visa but they dont call it visa.
You have to keep it together with your passport until you leave the country.
Yes, I hate having to fill out ESTA every two years. If you've been to the US more than 2/3 times you shouldn't have to update the ESTA.
Other than that, i'm not that bothered. I usually go through immigration at Dublin Airport where the immigration officers are fairly decent so for me it's typically in and out.
Infact, the last time I went through Dublin they let me go through the US citizen line (visited more than once so they knew I wasn't an issue).
Yes, I hate having to fill out ESTA every two years. If you've been to the US more than 2/3 times you shouldn't have to update the ESTA.
Other than that, i'm not that bothered. I usually go through immigration at Dublin Airport where the immigration officers are fairly decent so for me it's typically in and out.
Infact, the last time I went through Dublin they let me go through the US citizen line (visited more than once so they knew I wasn't an issue).
ESTA is nothing compared to what Poles have to go through when applying for a B1/B2 visa. They have to fill out a visa application online, pay $140 then schedule an appointment with a US consul in a large city, either Warsaw or Krakow. For many it means taking one day off work to travel to US Embassy. They have to bring all documents depending on a case, a US consul may ask for travel itinerary, student or work status, bank account information. And then you either get approved or denied and there is no refund for the visa application fee. When entering the US embassy, they have to leave all bags and cell phones before they are allowed to enter.
Once visa is approved, it is good for 10 years and you do not have to apply for ESTA. They don't always require appointment for visa renewal although since Trump took office, they time to renew from 48 months to 12 months.
I'm shocked that Poland isn't part of ESTA, that was news to me. Don't ever remember having to go to US consul to go to the USA and I visited before the Visa Wavier program.
Status:
"“If a thing loves, it is infinite.”"
(set 4 days ago)
Location: Great Britain
27,185 posts, read 13,469,799 times
Reputation: 19508
I do find the criminal record questions on the ESTA have you ever been arrested a bit strange, as arrest is different to conviction and you are innocent until proven guilty. I realise they mean serious offences and use the term moral turpitude.
Furthermore when an arrest results in no action it's not recorded on the Police National Computer (PNC) in the UK, secondly the US Authorities don't have access to the Police National Computer unless they apply through terrorism legislation which is time consuming and costly.
I do laugh at some of the questions
Have you ever been arrested or convicted for a crime that resulted in serious damage to property, or serious harm to another person or government authority?
Have you ever violated any law related to possessing, using or distributing illegal drugs?
Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage or genocide?
Have you ever committed fraud or misrepresented yourself or others to obtain, or assist others to obtain, a visa or entry into the United States?
Are you really going to admit to seeking to engage in terrorism, espionage, sabotage or genocide, whilst unless convicted or cautioned then an arrest isn't recorded in many countries.
Why don't the US Authorities just change it to have you ever been convicted in a Court of Law or received an official police caution.???
I don't have a Criminal Record, I just find as someone with a grounding in the law, that it's rather strange that the US Authorities would use an arrest rather than a conviction or at least a caution you have admitted to. Have they never heard of Magna Carta or Habeas Corpus etc.
Last edited by Brave New World; 02-12-2017 at 04:29 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
