The federal government in the US is far more eager to deny/revoke US passports from free US citizens with civil debts to the government than it is in facilitating international travel for free US citizens and others with or without civil debts to the government. [The US is in the process of making the following the law of the land applicable to US citizens regardless of domicile: US passport revocation/denial/conditionality for free US citizens with civil debts considered owed to the US Treasury/IRS. With this move the US is joining the approach implemented by the regimes in China and the UAE.]
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Like TSA, DL SkyMiles management treats airline customers as if they are the enemy or sheep to be fleeced and it shows.
Yet another month and still, well, absolutely nothing.
I guess Obama doesn't know or care that his own government is ignoring him.
[Removed quote of now-deleted OMNI/PR-type material]
Madness.
When you listen too much to DHS types -- what not with their big-budget "technology" and "biometrics" will "solve" the "problems" with "leaky borders" mantra -- the de facto "acceptance" of the dragging out of the process is anything but a surprise.
Unfortunately, no matter who is or will be our next nominal head of state/government, the outcome will be the same: deference to the "security"-complex bureaucrats and the army of government contractors. And none of them is in a rush to bowl over the bureaucrats and the contractors at the same time, as would be necessary to expedite this for operation this year.
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Like TSA, DL SkyMiles management treats airline customers as if they are the enemy or sheep to be fleeced and it shows.
Last edited by cblaisd; Jul 25, 12 at 7:57 am..
Reason: Removed political contention more appropriate for OMNI/PR
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As a member of UDCIB, my company recived the following update. In a nutshell, no dice yet.
Dear member:
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As many of you are aware, the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) was signed into law by President Obama during the final APEC meetings in Hawaii in November. USCIB and the associations which make up the US-APEC Business Coalition worked together to urge the passing of the bill so that members of the business community could participate in the ABTC program which expedites travel in the APEC region. Many USCIB members are interested in obtaining a card and using it to quickly pass through airports by using the fast-track APEC lanes in participating economies. The card allows multiple short-term entries and is valid for three years before it has to be renewed. Currently nineteen (now including the U.S.) of the twenty-one APEC economies participate in the program.
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Currently Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is working on assessing the IT changes that would be required in order to allow a business traveler to combine the ABTC and online Global Entry application process.. CBP is also determining the costs of these changes...
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Actual implementation of the ABTC program cannot begin until there is agreement in Congress and passage of spending bills for the current fiscal year. Once that is worked out, DHS and CBP will have the authority to proceed with a “pilot” program as was done with the Global Entry program and begin issuing cards. .Business travelers who would like to enroll in the ABTC program will have to also be successfully enrolled in the Global Entry program.
We encourage members who have not yet done so, to enroll in the Global Entry program (http://www.globalentry.gov/), as the process does take some time (online enrollment and an in-person interview with a CBP official).
If members are interested, USCIB is in a position to organize in-person interviews at our offices. A CBP official can come to the New York or Washington, DC office and conduct interviews for those who have already completed online enrollment. Please let me know if this is of interest to you.
Programs: Current LH Senator; BA Gold (only until it expires); UA MM; Starwood Lifetime Platinum-Ambassador
Posts: 5,377
Here we are yet another month down the road and NOTHING.
So now I really can say, "Thanks for nothing."
Assuming the info posted by HowieG is accurate, the new budget year begins on October 1st. Can't imagine why I predict that October 1st will come and go with more NOTHING.
As another poster pointed out, the new fiscal year starts in a matter of weeks, so could this update be in preparation for that, or just wishful thinking?
Does anyone have any inside information on this? I tried one of my contacts working at the US embassy in China, but she hadn't even heard of it.
