Is NYC out of the question now with all the immigration palarva?

[Moomin]

Dh wants to take me away for my 40th in 18m time and I've told him I'd really like to go back to New York as I was pg last time we both went and I was knackered and sick.

I've also been on my own to visit a mate for a long weekend and immigration was a PITA to get through then, but I read that everyone who doesn't travel on a visa now needs a biometric (?) passport with photo, eyeball stuff and fingerprints - is this right? Will this just make it totally unworkable for a short break now?

I was in the states last year, we went to Florida, and none of us have biometric passports. If you apply for a new passport it will be a biometric one but as far as I know they accept you with a valid passport at the moment. My cousins have just come back from Florida and my aunt and uncle go next week and none of them have biometrics.

the fingerprint thing is really easy. When you go through immigration they ask you to look at a camera and take a photo of you and they ask you to put your finger on an electronic pad, I cna't remember if it was just one finger or all of them but it was inkless I know that.

all very straightforward and they were nice.
Check with a travel agent but I don't think it would be too much trouble to go for a short break.

Thanks. 1st time I went was 20 months before 9/11 and we had no problems. Last time was a year after 9/11 and it took me 2 hours to queue through immigration. The thing about the passport was in the Indie on Sunday this week. They were saying that tourist organisations are worried as they think it will defo have a bad effect on people being put off visiting the US

Well, as I say we had no problems last year but then that was last year. But my cousins have just come home from three weeks in Florida, they go every year and I've not heard of any problems they had apart from delayed flights but that was at this end.

They do have a tendancy to change the rules every now and again so it would be something that you should keep an eye on but I don't think it would be majorly problematic.

have a look at this for latest update

cheers linnet.

At the moment you can still travel on the visa waiver scheme
We are off there in a month and don't expect any issues - just the usual queuing