To think it's crazy to be planning a holiday to the USA right now

[Fragmentedbrain]

I know border control there has never been a relaxed experience but the risk of being detained arbitrarily for weeks or longer seems unacceptably high now.

I know border control there has never been a relaxed experience but the risk of being detained arbitrarily for weeks or longer seems unacceptably high now.

Does it?

I’ve never had a problem on any of my trips to America previously. I doubt I’ll have a problem when I visit in August. I love visiting America.

DS (22) went to the US to visit his father a few weeks ago, and was grilled at immigration far more intensely than ever before. He wasn't detained, but the questions were odd and appeared to be designed to unsettle / trip him up.

He was asked several times why he lived in the UK if his father was a US citizen, why I wasn't a US citizen if I was his mother, and why he held a UK passport of if father was American. Bizarrely, he was also asked 'how long has he been your father?'

DS is going back with DH and I later this year, for something booked before the orange turd won the election. I'm really looking forward to the trip but dreading immigration. It's always a PITA but even more so now, it seems.

I think you'd probably be ok if you have a British passport and are white (I know that sounds awful).

However, there are so many lovely & more welcoming places to go, why bother with the USA at the moment. Canada, or the Caribbean, Bermuda, Greece, Nordics, Brazil, Eastern Europe, as well as the closer destinations in western Europe.

The USA will still be there when Trump is history.

Bizarrely, he was also asked 'how long has he been your father?'
Was probably meant to give his age + 9 months.

I have been hassled in the dim and distant (for seeming too happy as I entered the country on a road trip with friends from the northern border - I am white but none of my friends were and I am sure our carefree student energy enraged them). I know a lot of these guys have been itching for a reason for years and years so to some extent the front facing risk isn't new but the what comes after seems to be.

I think if you’re white, British and going for a standard holiday you’ll be fine.

friends had been wanting to go for six months for a hiking trip and have put it off. The risk of packing your job in, etc and then getting turned away at the border because some random official doesn’t believe your six month hiking trip story is too high. (They won’t have accommodation booked)

Ha, probably. Although I wouldn't count on the immigration officials being able to do the math(s).

See, I was expecting issues, as my mother is American and I am an ex dual national . But no grilling at all.

My husband is Asian muslim. Had a fairly bad time through immigration and special searches in 2016 (not allowed to do online check in, additional searches on the way out and back, detailed questioning on arrival) Wouldn't want to risk not being let in on a whim and waste ££££s.

Being detained arbitrarily for weeks or longer

This is nonsense. If there are no issues, it’s BAU. My sister is there at the moment. Her husband shares a name with a wanted felon. It’s a family joke that they take much longer to get through immigration than the average visitor. He used to get taken aside for interview. This year, they breezed through in minutes.

We are going over in a few days. We have a house over there and fly into Miami. Miami, along with Atlanta can have the longest queues, ime. I can’t remember not having to have electronic fingerprints and photos taken. It’s just part of the process and takes very little time.

I know this thread is for tourism so my comment isn't super relevant but just wanted to point out that for business visits, it's important to stick to very clear wording like 'attending xyz conference' or 'here to meet with business contacts', both of which are legitimate reasons covered by ESTA. Do NOT as I did once (I was under a lot of stress at work and super tired after the flight) say 'for work'!!! That almost got me denied entry even though it was clear from my other answers it was an innocent slip of the tongue. That was under a previous administration so I think that's really one to avoid nowadays... It might sound obvious but it's so easy to slip up, especially if you're travelling for business.

My brother went in April and they searched his phone, they made him give over his passcode or he would’ve been denied entry

You probably looked slightly less dishevelled and suspicious than my scruffy DS 😁

Isn’t it like that everywhere?

I actually feel safer in America now than I did last time. California really felt like something from an apocalyptic movie last year, I wouldn't go back there currently if you paid me. Florida on the other hand felt much safer. I would not feel safe to go back to a democrat run city.

I wouldn't bet on it but thank you!

I don’t think it is crazy at all. So much hyperbole in the news. Travel where you want to - life is too short. It’s not a war zone 🙄

Also, my dob is 9/11. This actually delayed my ESTA.

He was asked several times why he lived in the UK if his father was a US citizen, why I wasn't a US citizen if I was his mother, and why he held a UK passport of if father was American. Bizarrely, he was also asked 'how long has he been your father?'

but if your son’s father is a US citizen, your son would most likely be too and therefore would have to enter the US on a US passport…

That's not true!

Why, if he was born (and has lived his whole life) in the UK to a mother who is a British citizen?

DH has just applied for his ESTA and had to declare that he'd been to Cuba within the last 10 years. He was then told that additional checks would be needed, but the ESTA was issued within 24 hours, no need for additional documentation or payments.

We’re an hour north of the border but don’t go to the US now - use to go weekly for shopping and lunch

If a US citizen is trying to enter on another passport there's always going to be additional questioning. It'd be a lot smoother if he got a US passport.

I know loads of people who are not in the least bit put off by visiting the States, and even more that don't know or care about what is happening over there or anywhere because they know nothing about politics here, let alone the US . I envy them so much.