Visitor's visa to USA

[pedroh 21]

Mexico same thing.. you have to show bank accounts, property, what kind of job you have, in order to get a tourist visa..

ah and of course.. the stupidest thing ever.. if you happen to have a similar name to a famous druglord (palma, guzman, quintero, which still are very common) or come from a similar town.. DENIED!!! no questions asked.. and talk about equality

[churipu 4]

A few years ago my friend was engaged to a man in Peru. He applied twice for a visitor visa and was denied both times. So, Peru seems to be one of those countries. I guess Mexico would be an obvious one, too. Let me throw some more out there. For which would it be almost impossible for your average Joe and Jane from another country to get a visitor's visa? Here's some places off the top of my head:

Ecuador

Argentina

Colombia

Chille

Philipines

Russia

Morocco

Egypt

Algeria

India

Croatia

Poland

Turkey

Hungary

Romania

Ukraine

Bangladesh

China

Japan

Vietnam

Korea

Japan is in the VWP....VWP Participating countries

[peejay 327]

A few years ago my friend was engaged to a man in Peru. He applied twice for a visitor visa and was denied both times. So, Peru seems to be one of those countries. I guess Mexico would be an obvious one, too. Let me throw some more out there. For which would it be almost impossible for your average Joe and Jane from another country to get a visitor's visa? Here's some places off the top of my head:

Ecuador

Argentina

Colombia

Chille

Philipines

Russia

Morocco

Egypt

Algeria

India

Croatia

Poland

Turkey

Hungary

Romania

Ukraine

Bangladesh

China

Japan

Vietnam

Korea

Add Belarus to the list too. Several of my mom's relatives have been denied visas to come here to visit us. In fact, most people from Belarus get denied requests for tourist visas.

[NCWife 0]

Malaysia perhaps?

[DeadPoolX 9]

This is stupid. No wonder there are so many illegal aliens in the U.S. today. As I've stated numerous times throughout this board, if the U.S. would ease up a little on legal immigration, perhaps illegal immigration would decrease. It'd never go away, but it might take a nosedive. After all, I'm sure a good portion of people coming to this country illegally are doing so because they have no other recourse. Sure, they could stay in their home country (and many do), but if they've formed a relationship with an American or are looking for a way to improve their lifestyle, what are they to do?

America has the entire immigration scene backwards -- it's making the legal methods more difficult while virtually welcoming illegals with open arms, granting them whatever they wish. It makes me wonder why anyone even tries to do the process legally anymore. In 20 years (give or take), I think we'll be hard pressed to find anyone immigrating legally to this country. It won't be worth it, considering the time and expense; not when it can all be done much quicker and cheaper through illegal means and the U.S. does nothing to stop it.

[peejay 327]

This is stupid. No wonder there are so many illegal aliens in the U.S. today. As I've stated numerous times throughout this board, if the U.S. would ease up a little on legal immigration, perhaps illegal immigration would decrease. It'd never go away, but it might take a nosedive. After all, I'm sure a good portion of people coming to this country illegally are doing so because they have no other recourse. Sure, they could stay in their home country (and many do), but if they've formed a relationship with an American or are looking for a way to improve their lifestyle, what are they to do?

America has the entire immigration scene backwards -- it's making the legal methods more difficult while virtually welcoming illegals with open arms, granting them whatever they wish. It makes me wonder why anyone even tries to do the process legally anymore. In 20 years (give or take), I think we'll be hard pressed to find anyone immigrating legally to this country. It won't be worth it, considering the time and expense; not when it can all be done much quicker and cheaper through illegal means and the U.S. does nothing to stop it.

I disagree because there are way more people that want to come here than we can absorb or should even have to. And we don't have to. Immigration is a privilege...not a right. The USA has steadily increased immigration since 1965 and in recent years illegal immigration surpassed legal immigration during the GWB years. Countries set immigration limits...not the immigrant. That's the way it should be.

The US immigration system is poorly run. There are way to many scofflaws that cheat. That needs to change. If the US wants to have a credible immigration policy it needs to be adequately funded and the laws strictly enforce. What we have now is anarchy.

Increasing legal immigration numbers will not cut down on illegal immigration. The USA already takes in more immigrants than any other country. Strictly enforcing the law will deter illegal immigration. Quit giving repeated amnesties that reward and encourage even more illegals.

[HAL 9000 96]

This is stupid. No wonder there are so many illegal aliens in the U.S. today. As I've stated numerous times throughout this board, if the U.S. would ease up a little on legal immigration, perhaps illegal immigration would decrease. It'd never go away, but it might take a nosedive. After all, I'm sure a good portion of people coming to this country illegally are doing so because they have no other recourse. Sure, they could stay in their home country (and many do), but if they've formed a relationship with an American or are looking for a way to improve their lifestyle, what are they to do?

America has the entire immigration scene backwards -- it's making the legal methods more difficult while virtually welcoming illegals with open arms, granting them whatever they wish. It makes me wonder why anyone even tries to do the process legally anymore. In 20 years (give or take), I think we'll be hard pressed to find anyone immigrating legally to this country. It won't be worth it, considering the time and expense; not when it can all be done much quicker and cheaper through illegal means and the U.S. does nothing to stop it.

I think your rationale is on a good track. A rational and realistic approach to reducing the current trend is far more efficient and reachable than being a hysterical anti-immigrant.

[DeadPoolX 9]

This is stupid. No wonder there are so many illegal aliens in the U.S. today. As I've stated numerous times throughout this board, if the U.S. would ease up a little on legal immigration, perhaps illegal immigration would decrease. It'd never go away, but it might take a nosedive. After all, I'm sure a good portion of people coming to this country illegally are doing so because they have no other recourse. Sure, they could stay in their home country (and many do), but if they've formed a relationship with an American or are looking for a way to improve their lifestyle, what are they to do?

America has the entire immigration scene backwards -- it's making the legal methods more difficult while virtually welcoming illegals with open arms, granting them whatever they wish. It makes me wonder why anyone even tries to do the process legally anymore. In 20 years (give or take), I think we'll be hard pressed to find anyone immigrating legally to this country. It won't be worth it, considering the time and expense; not when it can all be done much quicker and cheaper through illegal means and the U.S. does nothing to stop it.

I disagree because there are way more people that want to come here than we can absorb or should even have to. And we don't have to. Immigration is a privilege...not a right. The USA has steadily increased immigration since 1965 and in recent years illegal immigration surpassed legal immigration during the GWB years. Countries set immigration limits...not the immigrant. That's the way it should be.

The US immigration system is poorly run. There are way to many scofflaws that cheat. That needs to change. If the US wants to have a credible immigration policy it needs to be adequately funded and the laws strictly enforce. What we have now is anarchy.

Increasing legal immigration numbers will not cut down on illegal immigration. The USA already takes in more immigrants than any other country. Strictly enforcing the law will deter illegal immigration. Quit giving repeated amnesties that reward and encourage even more illegals.

Peejay, I absolutely agree with you in theory, but it seems to me (and maybe I'm wrong) that the U.S. has been trying this and it's been failing miserably. There needs to be some sort of "incentive" to make people go for legal immigration, instead of illegal immigration. Right now, there is none. In fact, it's the very opposite.

We have plenty of incentives for illegals to come here, while the legal process takes tons of time and money in order to do the same thing that illegals get much quicker. Now tell me, why should anyone want to spend thousands of dollars and wait months (maybe even years) when they potentially wouldn't have to at all? Yes, that'd be illegal, but I don't see many stops in American society to this -- the government isn't kicking them out; they're getting credit cards, jobs, cars, homes, etc. The government is even looking at giving them all green cards since it feels it "can't remove them all" so where is the incentive for doing it legally?

[HAL 9000 96]

The proper thing to incentivize the solution to the problem would be to eliminate the NEED to emigrate illegally, or legally in some cases. Cheaper and overall, more progressive than say, being punitive from a symptomatic point of attack.

[anya-D 8]

Thailand is also hard to get tourist visa... I have several friends who couldnt get tourist visa but able to get student visa (for english course)... my parents got 1 year tourist visa so I think it depends.. mostly young and single wont get tourist but I met some who got it.. so..

Anyway - people who want to be in the US will do whatever they can to be in the US.. so make it easier to get a visa also means more people from other countries like in Asia will get visa and over stay then the US wil have more problem with the over stay people..

Edited April 14, 2008 by anya-D

[Imua 0]

From what I hear Nepal is basically impossible. The one exception I know of is Buddhist lamas who come to the US and give teachings - some of them may be Tibetan refugees and don't have Nepali citizenship so their situation might be different - also isn't there an exception for clergy/religious teachers?

[Dan J 277]

From what I hear Nepal is basically impossible. The one exception I know of is Buddhist lamas who come to the US and give teachings - some of them may be Tibetan refugees and don't have Nepali citizenship so their situation might be different - also isn't there an exception for clergy/religious teachers?

There is an R visa for that case.

[eekee 182]

In this case I think that the penalty for overstay needs to be harsher. Russia, for instance, takes overstay very seriously. Once you overstay, they pretty much make your life a bureaucratic living hell to get out of there. And I doubt that they'd give you a visa again once you do.

Thailand is also hard to get tourist visa... I have several friends who couldnt get tourist visa but able to get student visa (for english course)... my parents got 1 year tourist visa so I think it depends.. mostly young and single wont get tourist but I met some who got it.. so..

Anyway - people who want to be in the US will do whatever they can to be in the US.. so make it easier to get a visa also means more people from other countries like in Asia will get visa and over stay then the US wil have more problem with the over stay people..

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Funny. I had a tourist visa to the US since I was 8 years old. Just kep renewing, never one problem. Same goes for all my family members.

[HAL 9000 96]

Funny. I had a tourist visa to the US since I was 8 years old. Just kep renewing, never one problem. Same goes for all my family members.

Once you get it there weren't that many problems renewing, right? Seems to be the case with most Colombians I've met with one, including the wife's family members.