Originally Posted by
duchy
Volunteering at Beer festivals ?
Beer festivals tend to be commercially backed and tend to use casual paid staff NOT volunteers so no wonder she was turned back.
What was the point in the volunteer story ? I'm visiting friends for the summer would likely have not raised as much as an eyebrow as it's a common thing for students to do.
As for the rest of your rant - Don't be so daft -If I rocked up to US immigration with the same story I'd not be admitted either (I'm a female UK citizen)
Conspiracy my backside - SciFi cons are considered a "hobby" activity (yes I know there's money to be made from SciFi-I'm talking perceptions)- breweries are a business -so she shot herself in the foot.
I do not believe that CAMRA / GBBF is commercially backed in the UK. I know that NERAX is NOT commercially backed in the USA.
Yes, she clearly said the wrong thing. I feel bad about this because I didn't warn / remind her before she went over. We're just trying to figure out the best way to move forward and figure out if she is messed up for life in the UK (because having to apply for a visitor visa every time she goes over is going to be a PITA and expensive; we went over together 3 times in 2014; that would be an additional $400 or so dollars).