US to charge tourists $10 for permission to visit

[luckytxn 2,264]

Japan is still #2.

When I looked it up on the charts Japan was number 3 for years now. China over took them about 5 years ago. Didn't help that Japan moved a lot of manufacturing over to China.

[mawilson 2,133]

Liar. Australia is #1 at everything.

That's right. Australia is #1 and Japan is #2.

[Ladylethal 12]

A few years back there was some reports on the decrease of the number of brazilians choosing to vacation in the US, due to the increased difficulty in being approved for a visitor visa and their fear of POE arriving in the US (being hassled, a lot of people being refused, etc).

I thought partly was due to an increase in illegal immigration (not even sure if had changed, it's always been there) but I guess the same thing started happening to most countries when trying to visit America.

Funny enough, apart from all the taking shoes off, no liquids and the fingerprints (which they stopped taking after I got my GC) last time I felt "mistreated" in immigration in the US was in 1997. And my worst customs experience was actually with the Federal Police in Brasil when arriving home, simply 'cus I was "chosen" by the stupid red light green light machine to have my bags opened and searched.

Edited March 6, 2010 by Ladylethal

[spookyturtle 9,465]

That's right. Australia is #1 and Japan is #2.

That's better. Did you know that Toyota is actually an Australian company? The automobile was invented in Australia. Almost every major innovation has come from Australia.

[mawilson 2,133]

When I looked it up on the charts Japan was number 3 for years now. China over took them about 5 years ago. Didn't help that Japan moved a lot of manufacturing over to China.

China has not overtaken Japan. Don't know what charts you're looking at. China only

surpassed Germany (to become the world's third-largest economy behind the US and

Japan) in 2007 or 2008.

[luckytxn 2,264]

China has not overtaken Japan. Don't know what charts you're looking at. China only

surpassed Germany (to become the world's third-largest economy behind the US and

Japan) in 2007 or 2008.

It was never about the worlds largest economy. It was the worlds largest manufacturing countries. There is a big difference.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

How would it "reverse the decline in visitors"?

People who didn't want to go will now say "Yeah! Here's our chance to pay a $10 fee"?

The new law sounds incredibly stupid.

It's enough to discourage someone from visiting the US ("who do they think they are? screw them,

I'm going somewhere else") and not enough to do anything useful with.

Surely a visiting tourist would boost the economy by more than $10?

It is. I wouldn't pay that on general principle - plenty of other places to go on holiday besides the US.

[Darnell 8,478]

the 10 dollars collected will be used to pay a prior bill for television advertising?

####### ? I guess it wouldn't be such a big deal, if ya gets a free bowl of poutine right outside of immigration, each time.

Edited March 6, 2010 by Darnell

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I like that they say "ooh well $10 isn't much when you think about it". I wonder if the person in the article enjoys it when they are overcharged in the grocery store or given the wrong change at a restaurant.

Not only are you gypped on the cost of the flight (there was a story yesterday that airlines are going to charge extra for the exit row seats because of the extra legroom).

Sooner or later people are going to get pissed off with being nickel and dimed.

[mawilson 2,133]

It is. I wouldn't pay that on general principle - plenty of other places to go on holiday besides the US.

As I'm sure many other people wouldn't either.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

they should just exempt vwp citizens from the 10 dollar fee and make them apply for visas instead

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

they should just exempt vwp citizens from the 10 dollar fee and make them apply for visas instead

No. That would make for such a fcuking hassle for my parents. I'm so glad that they can just hop on a plane and make the trip any time they want.

[Fandango 1,439]

Obama FAIL.

what else is new? *sigh*