for us (oh so proud) Swiss, the biggest shock at immigration was, when the EC-countries started to have seperate immigration-lines in Europe for "EC" and "others" and we had to stan in-line at/with "others".

second shock, about 6-months old only, was, when the US wanted to exclude the Swiss from the Visa-waiver-program (as our passports were not electronic-readable) - yes baobab - our swiss diplomatic heroes were able to get another grace-period to adapt (I think another 2 years) - because our administration can't provide electronic-readable passports faster .... (I started to believe that the clichee about us was getting reality: mountains, cows, mocking-bird-watches, heidi, cigar-smoking-bankers, insurance companies sitting on their gold/monney like uncle dagobert and yes swiss chocolates).

Rudi,

I think the one thing about Switzerland that fascinates me the most is the division of the country by French and German speakers. I remember taking the train from Geneve to Zurich and saw signs in one town in French and in the very next town, everything was German. I wonder how the residents of those neighboring towns get along...

Oh yes, the chocolate...oh my...chocolate............mmmmmmm........

four/five languages: SWISS-german 63%, french 24%, italian 12%, romantsch 1% and 99.9% english.

Some philosophers say: that language-diversity is the reason why, since 1291, there was no big discussion about separation - they argue: even people speaking the same language never understand each-other, but those will fight over their misunderstandings - and we Swiss just know and have a reason to accept, that we will never understand".

SWISS-german: 23 very different dialects (our northern neigbours call it "cockney" - they don't understand a word). In Switzerland, since the second world-war started, a politician (living in the swiss-german speaking part) would never be elected if he would speak the so-called high-german ("Hochdeutsch"). Our TV-stations present the news in SWISS-german-dialects.

My mother (born in Germany, that's why my first-name is Rudi and not the swiss "Ruedi"), married my swiss father in 39. She was the exception and learned swiss-german very, very fast - because nobody in our shops ever served here as long as she spoke "high german".

Yes...Welcome back MerryFlyer. And all this talk of chocolates....my mouth is starting to water.

Baobab,

The US will give you multiple passports -you just have to give them a reason.

IE:

- The Turks won't let you in if you have a Greek Stamp (vis-a-vis).
- In the Middle East no-one will let you in, if you have been anywhere else they have fallen out with.
- Former Soviet Union: Russia; Azerbijan; Turkestan etc etc are all difficult.

But thanks for the understanding regarding doing constant travel - I did 267 nights in overseas (non-UK) hotels last year [This isn't quite true, I was "out of the UK" for 267 nights last year (according to the Inland Revenue/IRS) but this includes overnight flights].

I can tell you that that amount of travel really does hit you. Jet lag really isn't an issue, I just work on BST (UK time) wherever I am and that is that.

But when you go over the ITL and loose/gain a day that really does blow you for six (cricket metaphore).

But I am with Rudi, my biggest gripe is being messed about by immigration - wherever it is.

I am just really pleased that the US immigration service has made such improvements over the last 12 months.
MF

MF - There are more countries than just the UK & US in the world (and the Swiss, of course) For me, just trying to get a new passport because the old one was full took 6 months - & that was the EXPEDITED service. There is no way on earth that I would ever be allowed to have duplicate passports: the only way I'd be able to get round the problems you mention is to have the Israelis stamp a stapled-in sheet which can be discretely removed when visiting their enemies.

Do any airports in the US have a 'fast track' immigration system (like Heathrow)? Logan doesn't, and there's generally one immigration officer per flight-just-landed in the non-US section.

Too bad about losing your tax break this year...

Merry Flyer: I can't reach you per e-mail: The following addresses had permanent fatal errors
<[email protected]>

Rudi - re-read Merry's info. His e-mail address has changed.

thank you baobab - you see now - Pasha's are always helped.

You should just use a flying carpet Rudi...

Merry Flyer, I'm glad that your travels to
Nigeria were Safe and you are with us again.
(I think Nigeria was listed on the U-S's
list of "visit with caution" countries.)

If I am wrong, correct me... I thought I
saw this on BizTravel's sections.

My company would rarely if ever send me
overseas, so I'll save the time and the miles
for travels overseas. South Africa and
a Safari are on CATMAN's Top ten list of
places to visit. I'll get there, eventually.
CATMAN

To Baobab about "fast track" into the United States---the INS has come up with the INSPASS, presumably for frequent business travelers. In several cities/locations (Miami, JFK, LAX, Vancouver airport, Toronto airport) you use a machine (looks like an automated teller machine) after you get the card. They have offices at each of those airports--at MIA in T2, upper level (opposite side of the airport from UA/AA/US), JFK in each terminal, LAX in the Bradley terminal (lower level). If you have citizenship in one of 20 countries (I think it is the no-visa countries), you can get the INSPASS. You need to stop in to one of the offices (MIA is extended hours (8a-8p, 7 days/week), JFK hours vary by terminal, LAX was 8a-6p, I think) with your passport. You fill out a short form, and then get a digital picture taken, a fingerprint digitized and stored and your hand geometry stored. The card is made while you wait. (Be patient--I tried to get it at MIA and JFK and was unsuccessful (machines acting up)until Monday when I had a few spare minutes at LAX--they were able to print it out for me, but then the JFK office came through and a second card was waiting in my mailbox upon coming home from this trip...so much for security). Anyway, coming back in to LAX from San Jose los Cabo, MX on AS (arriving terminal 2 at LAX) it was literally a 30 second process to get back in the US. It prints out a receipt that they collect with your customs declaration. All the guys in the office have one (they usually go through MIA to South America--my travel is a little more varied) but I'm sold.

thank you - I read and heard about that procedure - but I never got into the details.

Swisspassports are only in 2 years from now on electronically readable - and (if I remember correctly) I have to wait till then.

Thanks for the information Jamiel - the INSPASS sounds like an excellent idea.

At Heathrow there is a separate 'Fast Track' section of immigration, provided for travellers in Club World/First Class on BA. I presume that business travellers on other airlines are also offered the same facilities. It isn't automated like INSPASS, but there are far more immigration agents per traveller than in the regular immigration hall. This speeds things up enormously for non-EC-citizen business travellers.

Every time I fly into Boston there seem to be HUGE queues for non-US citizens, - the only way to get through immigration quickly is to rush off the plane and be at the front of the line!

more tips for speeding up immigration:
- choose the immigration line next to the US-line (in IAD on UA), once all US-citizens have passed, they ALWAYS open one or two lines more for non-US (look out and be ready)
- choose the national-carrier of your destination (there tend to be less immigrants)