Originally Posted by
sinanju
I got off a KLM flight from IAD, approached immigration and, as I extended my arm to present my passport, the agent glanced at the cover and simply waved me through. It was my first time there and it was a bit dissapointing not to get my passport stamped.
I hope you didn't have any problems when leaving Schengen...
Originally Posted by
Sjoerd
The South Americans are free to do whatever they like, but I am glad my fellow Schengen-Europeans are still using common sense (in this area
) and let tourists from many countries (including US citizens) in with minimal hassle.
I agree. The people who set up these hassles won't be subject to them when they travel, as they'll be on diplomatic passports. I'm sure some people in the US government would like to see every country charging for visa-"free" entries and fingerprinting everyone at the border.
Originally Posted by
Spiff
Indeed, other nations should continue to set an example for the rest of the world, as it is quite obvious that the only example the United States cares to set in this matter is a bad one.
Don't give the United States one dime/eurocent/centavo/zoolac until it stops harassing airline passengers and stops treating guests like criminals.
Agreed. My last entry to the US was by land at Niagara in 2004. We (i.e. the non-Canadians in the party) had to park, enter a building, fill out forms and pay money. I'm slightly confused about what happened when we drove back to Canada, as I was asleep in the car for most of the journey and I believe my passport never left my pocket - there's no stamp for either the US entry or the Canadian re-entry.
A Canadian Arab friend drove the same way more recently but somehow parked in the wrong place. When he got out of the car he found guns pointing at him and instructions to get down on the ground. Then they shouted "You American or Canadian?" I wonder what would have happened if he was neither.
I'm glad I have nobody in the US who I'm obliged to visit. I will consider visiting the US again if there is nowhere else in the world to go that doesn't treat me that way.