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Bitcoin befuddles US customs agents, thwarting visit by digital currency guru

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Re: Bitcoin befuddles US customs agents, thwarting visit by digital currency guru

#11

Post by chc »

CaveTech wrote: post #9
joezydeco wrote: post #7

Nothing in the story says he was flagged for deeper interviewing because of his involvement with Bitcoin. He told the agent he was saying for two months on $600 USD and, making an assumption here, no credit cards or anything else to supplement his stay. How do we know he wasn't flagged under a different rule, such as "$100 a week in the US? Maybe he's taking a temporary job. Let's look further". Border agents hate fi…

I think you're confused about the definition of befuddle. be·fud·dle 1. To confuse; perplex. 2. To stupefy with or as if with alcoholic drink. Customs agents didn't flag him for his involvement in bitcoin; they didn't understand what it was and how he could possibly fund his trip with it.

Or they didn't believe it was as good as cash, which is kind of a fair assessment. The guy he was going to meet might not have had the cash after all, and without a buyer, the Bitcoins have no intrinsic value. Saying that you have a suitcase full of collectable pins that you intend to trade with a guy for $1500 would probably not get you into the US either.

Re: Bitcoin befuddles US customs agents, thwarting visit by digital currency guru

#12

Post by bdonlan »

edkennedy wrote: post #10

How would this be any different from bringing an equivalent value in "goods"? (whether they are digital or physical)

You would declare the goods you're importing (which brings with it its own set of issues when importing high-value goods). That said, it's unclear when or if bitcoins would be 'imported'. And it's also unclear whether, for example, someone bringing in $5000 worth of gold bullion via a passenger jet would be able to come in via visa waiver (they may classify selling it as a form of work).

Anyway, the visa waiver program is for ordinary tourists. Doing something way out of the ordinary like that is just asking them to deny your visa. At the very least, apply beforehand and explain the situation to the immigration agents.

Re: Bitcoin befuddles US customs agents, thwarting visit by digital currency guru

#14

Post by reemrevnivek »

edkennedy wrote: post #10

How would this be any different from bringing an equivalent value in "goods"? (whether they are digital or physical)

Most goods that might be imported with the intent to trade for cash have more obvious (or, in the case of, say, gold or gemstones, more universally recognized) value.

Re: Bitcoin befuddles US customs agents, thwarting visit by digital currency guru

#15

Post by mullr »

CaveTech wrote: post #9
joezydeco wrote: post #7

Nothing in the story says he was flagged for deeper interviewing because of his involvement with Bitcoin. He told the agent he was saying for two months on $600 USD and, making an assumption here, no credit cards or anything else to supplement his stay. How do we know he wasn't flagged under a different rule, such as "$100 a week in the US? Maybe he's taking a temporary job. Let's look further". Border agents hate fi…

I think you're confused about the definition of befuddle. be·fud·dle 1. To confuse; perplex. 2. To stupefy with or as if with alcoholic drink. Customs agents didn't flag him for his involvement in bitcoin; they didn't understand what it was and how he could possibly fund his trip with it.

I DO know what bitcoin is, and I don't understand how he could possibly fund his trip with it. Doesn't seem like the top of the list for liquid assets, i.e. what you need when travelling. Part of their job is to make sure you can fund your trip. This guy couldn't, from a variety of reasonable interpretations.

Re: Bitcoin befuddles US customs agents, thwarting visit by digital currency guru

#16

Post by nl »

SageRaven wrote: post #13

I found the part about them copying data from his phone and iPad more troublesome than the whole bitcoin thing. Why would a self-described "cypherpunk" travel with non-encrypted digital devices, anyway?

I have a deep cynicism of anyone who describes themselves as a cypherpunk..

Having said that: an unencrypted phone/iPad is actually pretty sensible. You keep all the information you actually want to secure on a server safe at home, and have client software on your devices that can only access it after verifying the user (preferably using two-factor authentication, but even a password would be enough for this purpose)

Re: Bitcoin befuddles US customs agents, thwarting visit by digital currency guru

#19

Post by umright »

Advice for crossing the US Border.

1) You are there on a holiday. Telling them you are self employed and going to work in an office you are renting there is only asking for trouble. It confuses the hell out of them. You think where you do the work from doesn't matter, they think you need a visa. You lose.

2) If you are going for a conference, print the badge off before your flight and have it with you.

3) Email or upload all your files to dropbox/some server in a TrueCrypt container, and wipe all devices you will be crossing with, including your phone. What do you need them searching through your stuff for? Who knows what they will do with it. It's just asking for it.

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