Apparently, visitor spending is down US$94 billion since 2001. I hope it hurts, because it’s well deserved.

On the surface, this may seem reasonable. They don’t want criminals in their country. Seems like a good rule.

But in practice it’s just a way to shake people down at the border. My “crime” in the USA was a DUI…..10 years ago! Hardly a danger to the people of Canada. But they still fleeced me of my cash at the border for this. I felt degraded and just plain ripped off. Afterward I couldn’t help ponder the purpose of this “bond”. If I were a criminal would I now not commit my crime just because I paid this fee? If anything, as a criminal I’d be MORE likely to commit a crime. Because now I’m $250 poorer and need the money!

This was about 10 years ago and I’ve not been back since (and I live in the USA only a hundred miles from the Canadian border). I’ll spend my tourist money elsewhere.

So all you Canadians can sleep safe at nights. Have no fear. Your border patrol is making sure that only criminals with $250 in their pockets can enter your country.

Some people might have misguided economic ideas, but for the most part it’s racism.

I agree with open borders, but with all due respect, that’s just name calling. and helps no one.

The process is complex, dehumanizing and sometimes humiliating. They have no clue how to tell people apart.

The person who is going to the Embassy is most likely a genuine fellow. Otherwise, the person who wants to cross into the US by any means, will find a way to do so.

My parents and my Aunt and Uncle have been rejected for a US visa. My Aunt and Uncle wanted to come here because my cousin was going to have a child. My parents just wanted to come here to visit my brother (a PHd student) and me (then a Masters student).

All these people are retired and aged 60+ and have hardly ever left their hometown in India. They are so conservative, they would never like to stay here for more than a few months! They dont even appreciate every imported Western custom. I could never force them to stay here… They wouldnt enjoy staying here even if I was a billionaire and give them anything they want! And yet, they are rejected.

And (sometimes) they give NO explanation why they reject. So how do you apply the next time ?

I applied for a special visa three weeks ago (for a linux-company event, part of my job), because the dates for normal ones were just too late for me. I requested for an emergency one.

I got all the things they wanted: the invitation letter to the event, a document specifying my current professional status -working with this company in Mexico-, and some other papers.

I got a very bad surprise after they didn’t give the visa. You know, it wasn’t even a tourist visa. It was a special visa, with a very small duration -two months, I think-. They didn’t event request my job’s papers. I showed the letter to the event, and answered some stupid questions (I mean, they asked things that were already in the form, such how much money I got, and so on). The only think I can think it’s that they though it was a little “strange” I worked in Mexico for this company (a US based company)., because the man asked me about it two or three times.

It’s really sad. I mean, it was a super oportunity for me to go there and learn and get experience. I’m not a terrorist, nor a criminal. But you know, a friend of mine just said : “They can give it to you or maybe not. If they are happy, they give it to you. If they are not, they won’t”.

Being honest, I don’t event want to apply again. You lose the money, but also your time and your plans. It sucks. Finally, it’s also sad to see the big number of persons who don’t get the visa, and have a face of sadness outside the embassy.

I had to go through similar when getting my Mexican visa. It was annoying, although I was fortunate in that I had professionals helping me and there was never really any doubt that I’d be granted the visa. I understand entering Mexico is more difficult for people from countries that have similar per-capita wealth or are poorer than Mexico, although I don’t have any firsthand experience.

Anyway, I was criticizing “my country”, well within my rights.

I do criticize Mexico all the time, though. What kind of person would I be if I did not? I mean, I’m in this enormous country with so many great things going for it, yet so far from realizing its full potential. I’d be a bad person if I didn’t talk about it.

As to your second question, mu. Your question depends on a bogus premise, that illegal immigration is a problem. However, it is my understanding that Canada treats foreigners from all over better than the US does, and that, in general, Canada encourages immigration.

Finally, yes, I was a US citizen. I don’t know how Australia’s immigration policies changed post-September 11; I was already there by that point; certainly Australian politics got very ugly around the time of the Tampa crisis, Sept. 11, and the elections of Nov. 2001. But I ended up leaving not long thereafter and haven’t followed Australian poltics very closely since.

What is your source for this? UN definition of human rights? I’m not saying I don’t agree with this statement, just that this is news to me, and I would really like to see where you get your information from.

I am an American living in a foreigh country (Brazil), and I had to go through a screening process as well. I had to fill out forms, I had to prove that I was not a criminal in the US, I had to do an interview, I was fingerprinted, I paid fees. I would *never* imagine criticizing Brazil for the rules they created for foreigners entering their country. How could I, I am a guest in this fine country.