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No visa required

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Re: No visa required

#52
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

really? i haven't had much of a problem (edit: or rather, not much more of a problem than the process required to enter in the other country). but i've also never had much to declare, either.

I haven't traveled that extensively, but every time I've entered a Schengen country with nothing to declare, I've been able to walk right in after getting my passport stamped. Every time I've returned to the US, however, I've had to go through an exhaustive baggage screening and pat-down before I could even board the plane, and then stand in line for half an hour in Immigration once I got back, filling out an entire…

I'm one of those lucky people that is apparently innocent-looking enough that I never get messed with by customs. And I've been through lots of weird customs checkpoints.

Returning to the US you have to fill out that annoying form on the plane but other than that it's just a rubber stamp

Re: No visa required

#53
post #21
post #10

There's a couple of things that surprise me. First, all the countries in the Schengen treaty I think end up with the same score. Indeed France, Germany and Italy do. I would imagine many more do too (e.g. Spain). It seemed like it would have been a better label. On the other hand I am surprised that Denmark got more.. .and it is kind of a counterexample to my first point. Isn't Denmark in the Schengen treaty too? Whe…

Denmark is a member of Schengen, but we also have deals with Sweden and Norway that doesn't even require passports to get there, and I don't imagine I would need a passport to go visit Iceland either.

Don't forget Greenland or the Faroe Islands

Re: No visa required

#54
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Denmark is a member of Schengen, but we also have deals with Sweden and Norway that doesn't even require passports to get there, and I don't imagine I would need a passport to go visit Iceland either.

Don't forget Greenland or the Faroe Islands

Both of which are actually parts of Denmark, having some level of autonomy.

Re: No visa required

#55
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Overpopulation was actually a major problem for Britain for most of its history, (hence the continent-sized penal colony in Australia.) It was just that British immigrants had the nasty habit of overthrowing the government in their new homes.

It was just that British immigrants had the nasty habit of overthrowing the government in their new homes. How many countries did that happen in?

The U.S. itself. Indirectly, Texas and California. Rhodesia.

Any others?

Re: No visa required

#56
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a country that generally does a great job of customer service the experience you get as a foreigner entering the place is awful.

I just recently returned to the US and for the first time got to go through the citizen's/residents line (Green card holder), and the difference between the two was unbelievable. This time round, the queues were a fraction of the size, the immigration officers were friendly (as opposed to being outright rude to visitors) and the whole process was incredibly simple and quick. The difference is striking, and I'm certai…

This doesn't jibe with my experience as a Canadian H1B visa holder who's flown into the US over a dozen times over the past 6 years. I've never found US customs agents to be rude; they are always courteous and often friendly. FWIW I usually fly into LAX so I wonder if your experience differs depending on where you enter.

Re: No visa required

#57
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not all Europeans can go to the US without a Visa. Romanians stills have to apply for a visa and I think that Bulgarians too.

Indeed, and this is also true for non-EU Europeans.

My point was that:

You don't need a visa, a visa is a form you have to fill in before they allow you in the country.

Instead you just have to fill in these other bunch of forms before they allow you in without a visa.

Re: No visa required

#58
post #34

As a US citizen, it's wonderful getting into other countries with so little hassle. The only annoying part is getting back into the US.

I have to agree with this. Landing in the US on an international flight is always the worst part of the trip. 1. Taking so long to get my bags, then getting them re-scanned, that I miss/almost miss the connector and/or 2. answering 20 questions to the customs officer

I've had part 2 vary a lot, from being interrogated by a suspicious customs officer, to being asked one or two half-assed questions by a very bored one.

Re: No visa required

#59
it's not only the countries you travel visa-free to, it's also how they treat you once you're there... i once traveled through italy with an american friend and was surprised at the hassle they made of the border crossing of a nighttrain simply due to his passport... i was able to sleep on and he had to answer questions this was back in 2000. at the same time consider countries like syria where an american passport might not be as nice as an EU one.

Re: No visa required

#60

As a US citizen, it's wonderful getting into other countries with so little hassle. The only annoying part is getting back into the US.

so true and that's the USC/Permanent resident line, how about that visitors line...
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