My answer to questions 4 was - to start an around the world ticket
The officer's response was to ask me question 5
My answer to question 5 was - two days
The officer's response was to ask me question 6

Probably because those mentioned countries have a significant amount of Sub-Saharan African descent people and in the U.S., it could be seen as being racially motivated because they are "black".....partly because the media only talks about racism nationally when it happens against blacks while other minorities not too much except on local news stations.

Whereas both WASPS and Blacks have an unspoken agreement to scrutinize Mediterranean/Middle Eastern looking people at airports! Sad but true, half of my uncomfortable TSA situations with them questioning my ethnicity (too tall and a little bit lighter than what a Hispanic is suppose to look like in their view) and why I am not very talkative (I am shy with strangers) are from TSA screeners of African descent. One in particular was quite upset that my luggage was not scrutinize when boarding my flight from NRT to ORD.

Thanks for posting this. Sounds much less painful than my latest US entry under ESTA. Then again I'd have to travel to do an interview for a US visa, so not exactly a convenient option for me.

The joke of this whole thing is that if you've actually ever been to Iran it is a surprisingly not religious country. I was on a tour around midday day prayer at a major mosque in Shiraz and there were few people there. Much more of a risk of radicalisation with a visit to the KSA, but of course their our "Friends" so you know the whole actual fanatically religious thing doesn't matter...
Cheers
Howie

Update on my first entry to the US using my new visa

• Quite painless
• Was directed to use a kiosk and scan my visa page (not my passport information page)\
• The machine gave me a docket directing me to a cbp oficer (presumably because this was my first entry on my new passport)
• cbp officer took my photo, scanned my fingerprints
• also asked a few questions - none concerning the 'evil' country I had visited (Sudan)

So all in all, it was an easy experience and no much different from a normal 'esta' entry

Saw an ESTA user arrive tonight at ORD who had been to Iran in recent years. Off with an escort he went, so not yet sure if he will be sent packing back to Europe or some adjustment will be made.

My visa interview and first entry by air was also painless. However, I then proceeded by land into Canada and on my return, I was pulled over for a secondary and had to wait for hours before an agent revisited my itinerary to Sudan. In the end it was pretty much the same questions that were asked at the visa interview but the wait was horrible.

I was in Iran during Ramadan, and have spent a lot of time in the Gulf, where they fanatically enforce laws against eating in public during daylight hours, etc. Except for a handful of hotels, it is impossible to get any food during the day time in Dubai, for example (and Dubai is by FAR the most liberal city in the Gulf region). In Iran, I quickly learned that "closed" restaurants (shades drawn, "closed" sign displayed" would let you in if you knocked, and you would often find more than a handful of people eating. Generally speaking, I found the Iranians liked to keep up the appearance of compliance, whereas the Gulf Arabs are absolutely fanatical about forbidding "un-Islamic" activiities, including things like couples holding hands in public.

Two guys (or two gals) holding hands in public in the GCC is fine by the local authorities, as long as the people don't appear to be from Europe or the Americas. Iran, unlike the GCC countries, have a long history of having native communities of citizens of non-Islamic backgrounds. If I had my choice, I'd have KSA trips by VWP users scrutinized more than Iran trips by the same. But money and power talk in this world, and kissing-up to the KSA and related business interests (including American business interests) matters more to the USG than Iran does.

Hardly impossible. The food courts of Dubai shopping malls remain open as usual, just behind screens, although if you want proper Arabian food you'll have to wait until after sunset.

The topic of this thread is the United States Visa Waiver Program. It is not about Ramadan observance or Islamic countries cultural norms and practices.

Those topics have nothing to do with Travel Safety/Security or Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate.

Please free to discuss those subjects in the Religious Travelers or the various Destinations forums.

Thank you,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator