Mind your manners and you'll be fine

Don't let worries about the tough new security requirements put you off holidaying in the United States.That is the overwhelming advice from readers who have been there recently.

Some have horror stories which confirm that the security rules can cause real difficulties in a minority of cases, but feedback on last week's article indicates that for most New Zealanders, the visa-waiver scheme for tourists still works fine.

Typical of the happy, visa-free holidaymakers are Rob and Ann Bleakley who entered the US twice, initially via San Francisco and later through Tijuana, and were treated courteously.

"On arrival at San Francisco we were processed by a polite young woman [who] asked us how we were going to spend our holiday, commented on some places we should see and wished us an enjoyable journey."

As far as visas go, corporate travel executive Celia Snedden has been to the US several times over the past four years and reckons there's no problem working out if you need one.

Nor is she bothered by the security checks. "Really, getting your finger photographed while your passport is being inspected is not a big deal."

But she does advise travellers to be polite and to treat the security requirements seriously. "Kiwis can be a little clever sometimes with immigration officials. I would advise travellers to answer them politely and not try to be smart or get cross when it is taking a bit of time ... That is when people can get into trouble."

Many other readers have encouraging stories to tell about friendly officials and smooth entry procedures. But, unfortunately, those rosy experiences aren't the whole picture. The unlucky minority with tales of woe fall into three categories.

First are those singled out for special attention on arrival in the US - which some find very upsetting - though that is an irritant rather than a serious problem.

Second are travellers who arrive in the US to discover there is adverse information about them in the immigration computer system, because of long forgotten minor misdemeanours, confusion over names, or the incorrect recording of previous departures.

In one such case, Stephen Arnerich missed out on a holiday in Honolulu because he apparently overstayed his visa by six days 10 years ago, although he claims, "nothing was mentioned to me on my departure back in 1996".

Arnerich was taken to the Federal Detention Centre, photographed, fingerprinted, strip-searched, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, injected to test for tuberculosis, given a psychiatric check and escorted to the plane home in handcuffs.

"Another Kiwi girl was brought down and put in the van with me," he says. "She had lived in the States 13 years ago and after she left, her boyfriend was busted for selling steroids. Unbeknown to her, he implicated her in the crime. She was sent back to New Zealand that night."

The only way to resolve such problems is to apply for a visa.

The third category of difficulty involves travellers who theoretically do not require a visa but on arrival strike an immigration official with a stricter-than-usual view of the rules about what constitutes work.

If you are not receiving remuneration, you should not require a visa, but people such as journalists who in a sense could be working even when on holiday, and sometimes professionals attending a conference, business people dropping in on contacts, or speakers having their expenses reimbursed have been sent packing.

So the average person taking a holiday in the US should not need a visa and should have no problems. But if you suspect the immigration computer system has adverse information or if there is any possibility you could be thought to be doing some sort of work during your visit then check with the US Consulate in Auckland to see if you need a visa.

But be aware this service is not free. Roger Hall reports, "After your article we thought we should ring the consulate in Auckland to make sure we didn't need one for a forthcoming visit. Received the following message: 'It costs $3.45 a minute for all visa enquiries'. Maybe that's something else Condoleezza Rice could look into."