Comments | terrencechan: USA border, redux

terrencechan

USA border, redux

Jan 09, 2011 14:38

I got this e-mail, out of the blue, re-posted in part (with permission) and obviously excluding personal details:

I came across your livejournal where you talk about your border troubles and you've given up on the states ( Read more... )

politics, travel, border crossing

Comments 10

quietlion January 9 2011, 17:57:27 UTC

I've now come to the belief that at the first whiff of suspicion from any border agent between US and Canada, everyone ought to employ an immigration attorney before the next crossing.

QL

terrencechan January 9 2011, 19:02:43 UTC

I'm very much inclined to agree. (Which is pretty much why I don't feel like visiting, because I really don't want to bother with meeting with and hiring a lawyer.)

adam__selene January 10 2011, 01:15:14 UTC

Yeah, I found people's arrogant responses to my wife being turned way from Madrid very annoying. "Never happened to me", "I must be lying or not telling the whole story", "carrying cash and certified bank statements isn't a requirement", etc...

How does an immigration attorney assist you in matters of non-immigrant touristic travel? I'm not being contrary, I'd really like to know.

BTW, I found this page extremely useful in investigating requirements:
http://www.continental.com/web/en-us/apps/travel/passport/default.aspx

Might have saved my wife her trouble (she thinks not), and would definitely have saved me some trouble returning to San Jose from Bogota.

adam__selene January 10 2011, 01:20:28 UTC

For example, you might to decide to stop back here in Costa Rica on your way back from Brazil. If you don't have a Yellow Fever vaccine card (stamped >= 10 days prior) they won't let you board the plane.

Return Denied ext_433204 February 18 2011, 00:45:21 UTC

I read your post last night about your denial into the US as a visitor and I wanted to share with you the three posts I wrote about my friend and biz partner Alex. The posts tell the story.

http://casudi.posterous.com/return-to-us-denied-please-help
http://casudi.posterous.com/time-is-of-the-essence-time-runs-out-on-the-8
http://casudi.posterous.com/when-love-is-not-enough

I am now following you on Twitter.

Re: Return Denied terrencechan February 18 2011, 08:47:36 UTC

Terrible story. I hope they end up okay.

ext_433204 February 19 2011, 05:09:14 UTC

Yes, they'll be OK. My friend is a first class citizen, an entrepreneur (that maybe part of the problem, like you he does not fit into the usual slots) and is a very smart individual. He has moved to Beijing where he has an incredible network of people who know him and really appreciate him. I am not sure if he will try again, as they are totally disillusioned with the system.

I have come across so many stories in my search online for solutions. Yours compelled me to comment. I would really like to see a poker player of your stature in action, especially after I read this question and answers on QUORA http://www.quora.com/Is-it-better-to-think-like-a-Go-player-a-Chess-player-or-a-Poker-player. I used to play GO.

Vancouver Sun article mathew5000 May 14 2011, 20:23:30 UTC

FYI in case you haven't seen this:
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Banished+border+Canadians+ensnared+customs+hassles+post/4782534/story.html

Re: Vancouver Sun article terrencechan May 14 2011, 23:19:50 UTC

Wow! It was like reading my own story over again, if I were a 68 year old from Tsawwassen. Will be posting to Twitter.

mathew5000 September 27 2011, 15:16:46 UTC

From the CBC today:
“Several American immigration lawyers are calling for a review of all cases where Canadians were banned from entering the U.S. by former border officer Joel Helle, who pleaded guilty to harassing a Canadian last month. Helle's record while he was a border official is coming under increased scrutiny.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/09/26/bc-borderguard.html