Entry Reg's n Rules

[downunder]

Seems just got to tell them what want to know and play their game even if it grates.

Hope you/owner sort it quickly Boatman.

[SunDevil]

I've only had a problem entering New Zealand because I didn't have proof of my electronic return flight ticket.

I'm not sure I should say when they ask you if you have any criminal history when entering Australia next month, "I didn't know that was still a prerequisite"...

I agree that we have free trade, but not free movement in North America. I think the Canadians need to be more worried about us Americans migrating up there to escape the insanity here...

[David M]

The best policy is to swallow ones pride and be polite to these sometimes power happy people who think they have the most important job in the world. For many of them it is probably the first time in their life that they have had any kind of serious job responsibility. You just have to take that in to account when they approach you with their sometimes impersonal or even hostile attitude towards regular people.

I feel embarrassed given that a TSA employee is often the first person that a first time visitor to the USA encounters. It's not exactly a friendly welcome. Privatizing the TSA might help with this in that the employees job reviews could partially reflect how well they treat people. Privatization would also make it easier to get rid of the bad ones.

[Johnny Cruiser]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

I've only had a problem entering New Zealand because I didn't have proof of my electronic return flight ticket.

I'm not sure I should say when they ask you if you have any criminal history when entering Australia next month, "I didn't know that was still a prerequisite"...

ROTFLMAO!

I agree that we have free trade, but not free movement in North America. I think the Canadians need to be more worried about us Americans migrating up there to escape the insanity here...

Sundevil you might want to consider the Caymans like I did.
NO INCOME TAXes, NO PROPERTY TAX, NO SSN TAX, NO MEDICARE TAX,
NO ESTATE OR INHERITANCE TAX, NO WEALTH TAX OR SURCHARGES ETC.
(OVERSIMPLIFIED Everyone pays via a 20% VAT not like in the US where over 40% pay Zero Income Tax yet get a "Tax Refund??")
and the best part is since they are an island..........
BOATS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THEIR VAT TAX!

John

David M has excellent point on "privation to get rid of the bad TSA employees!"

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by David M

I feel embarrassed given that a TSA employee is often the first person that a first time visitor to the USA encounters. It's not exactly a friendly welcome. Privatizing the TSA might help with this in that the employees job reviews could partially reflect how well they treat people. Privatization would also make it easier to get rid of the bad ones.

The whole reason we have the TSA is because the privatized airport security at Boston Logan let a few guys on with boxcutters razors. I'm not in anyway saying the TSA is great, but they're certainly more professional and take security more seriously than the private shops before them.

Not to sound like a war hawk but there is something to be said for erring on the side of caution. The FBI nabbed a guy today that tried to waltz into the Capitol with explosives (fortunately they were fake and the FBI sold them to him).

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/wa...earlong_probe/

[David M]

I guess it all comes down to whether or not you are for the privatization of some government services, which is a political discussion. There is always room for improving both government agencies and businesses with government contracts. I think you and I and most people can agree on that.

[Johnny Cruiser]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

The whole reason we have the TSA is because the privatized airport security at Boston Logan let a few guys on with boxcutters razors. I'm not in anyway saying the TSA is great, but they're certainly more professional and take security more seriously than the private shops before them.

Have to disagree with your idea of security. As a pilot and someone who flies over 75 days a year the opposite has been my personal findings. Oh yea where was it that I filed a complaint with the State Dept. & TSA about the lack of professional security last year? Logan in Boston!

Google "Theft by TSA employees" and you will get over 3 million hits in under 0.5 seconds. Have 2 nephews and my niece's husband who are US Air Marshalls and just listen to their stories which are not about the passengers but the TSA employees. Am not condemning them all as some are good and try to take their job seriously but they clearly are not in the majority. IMHO How can you expect someone who couldn't keep her own states borders secure to keep the country secure? Ticking Timebomb!

TSA Theft of Passenger Valuables a Nationwide Problem « Hot Air


And I am not going to defend who they replaced as they were just as bad. Many ways to correct or try to correct this but this is not the forum for it.
I agree to disagree with you on this issue based on my personal experiences.
Cheers,
John

[welshdiver]

Your lucky there, we were in Australia in transit & ws told due to the change in bag weight we had to pay en extra $45au per bag & we had 6 as our dive gear & fishing rods were extra. We also loos our return tickets / money back to NZ if we find a boat.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by capngeo

FWIW, it is no better if you are a US citizen.... On returning from a recent trip to Canada, the MORON asked me "what is the purpose of your visit to the US?"

"Uh, I'm going HOME?"

"Don't be smart sir"

"OK... if you stop being dumb"

I got sent off to "that room" for further "interrogation"

Maybe you'll understand why, as a Canadian planning passagemaking, I have been shifting to the "go out the St. Lawrence and head straight for Ireland, do England, Brittany, Biscay, northern Spain, Portugal, Azores, Canaries, back to Guadaloupe, the ABCs and finally Panama".

Basically, I don't want to sail in the States at this time. You have every right to run your country as you...or rather your rulers...see fit, but I just don't want to bring my family into it.

And I know there's plenty of places more militarized, more corrupt and more sheerly unpleasant. That's understood before we leave.

But there are few places more arbitrary, I have learned, nor where "security" is both reason and product for all sorts of shenanigans. My "armed" PFD went on the plane in St. Thomas after a delivery, and off at Philly to change for Toronto. The next morning, I had to chuck the cylinder because some mall cop reject deemed it "potentially explosive". It's the randomness I can't abide, and the idea that the USCG feels I can be stopped on the high seas because they need topside scraping practice and might have Cuban cigars* that need confiscating.
I strongly believe that the "Homeland Security" crypto-government has not so much kept dangerous foreigners out as it has kept frightened Americans in (except for your armies, of course). Whatever. I want no part of it in my cruising life.

*Cuban cigars, rum, nautical charts and pictures saying "FIDEL IS WAY COOL" are legal for Canadians to own. But who wants to give the USCG a reason to steal my boat?

[atoll]

best one i heard of happened to a friend with her 8 month old baby,traveling in transit to the uk,so she had an onward ticket to london,but a 12hr stop over in miami.

she was held for 48 hours,and missed her flight.

reason although she had a full 10 year b1/b2 visa,and the baby was travelling on her passport,apparently the 8 month old baby had broken the law by not applying in person for her own visa to be added to the mothers passport!

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by atoll

best one i heard of happened to a friend with her 8 month old baby,traveling in transit to the uk,so she had an onward ticket to london,but a 12hr stop over in miami.

she was held for 48 hours,and missed her flight.

reason although she had a full 10 year b1/b2 visa,and the baby was travelling on her passport,apparently the 8 month old baby had broken the law by not applying in person for her own visa to be added to the mothers passport!

That baby rule came about to stop divorced, non-custody parent from snatching the child from custody parent, presuming the legal parent would hold the passport. Social ill forcing immigration ill.

Back to sailing--hope boatman is not flying thru the storm we are having right now.

35-45knts g 60knts.

[C4 King Cobra]

On a diffrent note but relivent. I recently attempted to travel to Canada on vacation. My friend and I were travelling by motorcycle not boat. We were turned away at the boarder because my freiend had a DUI from 10 years ago. What goes around comes around. Never underestimate the power of stupidity.

[youmeandthed]

they're getting rid of the dui thing. that rule was based on not allowing people with criminal offenses, which a dui is in canada, across the border. soon all criminals will be allowed in, not just the rich ones. jk, bit they're making it better.

The scary part for us waiting 3 hrs to get in, was who was being let in. A Korean man with a bunch of under aged "exchange students" who travelled across the border the day before with a bunch of different "exchange students". I think they were all women too. was let in in 10 minutes.

i dunno, you can't help it when others want to have what you have, but i think americans and other countries put what the usa has up high on a pedestal. it's a great country, but things are getting a little backwards and over defensive.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by youmeandthed

they're getting rid of the dui thing. that rule was based on not allowing people with criminal offenses, which a dui is in canada, across the border ...

Originally Posted by C4 King Cobra

On a diffrent note but relivent. I recently attempted to travel to Canada on vacation. My friend and I were travelling by motorcycle not boat. We were turned away at the boarder because my freiend had a DUI from 10 years ago ...

See my post #8
➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post891144

[Johnny Cruiser]

Originally Posted by youmeandthed

they're getting rid of the dui thing. that rule was based on not allowing people with criminal offenses, which a dui is in canada, across the border. soon all criminals will be allowed in, not just the rich ones. jk, bit they're making it better.

Sorry to hear that as IMHO it is an excellent non entry rule. DUI is a criminal offense in the states also. Know many people whose whole family or part of it were wiped out by a drunk driver. After 10 yrs and with pre notification incl background check on your nickel with no other occurances would grant provisonal entry. Needs to be a price to be paid for your bad behaviour not just more govt dumbing down and acceptance of it. IMHO
(And before you think I am anti booze there is 611 cases of adult beverages and 54 cases of imported beer on our boat now enroute from the Med via the Canaries to the states.)
John