Arturo, may I add that Latin America is not much different -- I've had
similar problems three times, once in Mexico, once in Peru and once in
Argentina. Needless to say, I lost my tickets all three times. And
being a student these were from my own pocket.
Come to think of it, India can be just as bad even for Indian
nationals. I was refused entry at Bombay immigration on a flimsy
pretext that i did not have my old passport showing departure from
India 7 years prior. I had to grease palms to enter my old hometown.
I am lucky to have never encountered problems in more than thirty
entries to the US or UK. Just luck.
In the end, immigration rules are getting ever more convoluted, and no
two agents know the same, and to beat the chances of bad luck, one has
to prepare ahead. There is a good website run by Delta
http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/international_travel_information/visa_passport_information/index.jsp
but again, this won't have the lowdown on special things like
researcher visas and voluntary sponsorship certificates; that one has
to get from the concerned embassy or high comission, failing which,
one has to offer white lies (like being a tourist instead of
researcher or volunteer) to beat the inane system.
happy travels
cheers
Amartya
Quoting Arturo Restrepo <[email protected]>:
David: No worries, if this make you feel better, the high likelihood of this
happening to any Latinamerican professional when enter to the United States
borders is very common. Hard to believe when they ask you what is your
profession I used to respond Environmental scientist or ecologist, it looks
to me that they associate drugs with environmentalist movements.
Take it easy and enjoy travelling the world !
Arturo Restrepo
On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 8:25 PM, David R. Anderson <
[email protected]> wrote:
I flew to London-Heathrow a week ago on my way to Glasgow, Scotland where
I was to give a 2-dayworkshop, a day of consultation and a seminar. The
University of Glasgow was to pay for my expenses and services and 41 grad
students, post docs, and faculty were registered for the workshop. I was
detained at Heathrow by the UK Border Agency for nearly 5 hours. During
this time I was searched, questioned, fingerprinted, photograhped and
moved from one secure room to the next -- like a criminal. My carry-on
suitcase and leather bag with my workshop materials were emptied and
searched, along with my wallet. I asked on 7 different occasions to be
able to call the US Embassy -- these requests were denied! At the end of
this long process the agent announced that I was to be deported the next
day! They claimed that I did not have a special visa or a "certificate
of sponsorship." Indeed, I had neither; I had never heard of such
requirements for a US citizen. I have spent 42 years working in
academic/science and have travelled to many foreign countries. I have
never experienced such detention and deportation.
UK universities, travel agents, immigration attorneys, my US Senator's
office and others are now trying to unravel exactly what papers are
actually required. This search has proven to be difficult for a number of
reasons. This matter is important as all the UK universities have
academic visitors arriving daily for conferences, symposia, workshops, and
seminars, etc., etc. with countless agreements concerning reimbursments
and honoraria. It seems that special documents are now required or one
faces deportation and all the related expenses. I will post agian if I
learn more; in the meantime, professionals going to the UK should make
every effort to obtain the "required" documents.
www.bio.miami.edu/asaha
