US Immigration queues - what is it with them?

[nicko31]

Recently there was a big thing about 2 hour waits in immigration at Heathrow. Following a recent trip to the US it seems a 2 hour wait is STILL standard for getting into gods own country. Not only that they are rude, unfriendly and unhelpful.
This is the 21st century, arrogance STILL prevails here. They STILL taking the attitude that they are doing them a big favour by letting them visit their country.
And then STILL when you leave they don't even check your passport, secuity STILL damned rude rude.
Well I won't be taking the family over there..

 

[severnside gull]

Last month we were in New York. Because we are a bit slow getting off the plane we are always at the back of the queue for immigration so was dreading it - I've had seriously bad experiences at JFK and at O'Hare in the past. We got to the immigration hall and, seeing my wife walking with a stick, we were ushered through a series of barriers by an absolutely charming woman attendant. We were behind a couple who were already being processed and an Albanian family who were emigrating to join relatives in the States under the immigration lottery scheme and their entry was clearly going to take a good while (there were seven of them). While the attendant went to get a chair the youngest daughter of the Albanian family (the only one who spoke English) immediately invited us to go ahead of them in the queue. We chatted for ten minutes or so about the life they could expect (I happen to know the area in Chicago where they were moving to quite well) and swapped addresses before being ushered forward. We then collected our luggage and walked through to the taxi queueing area only to find it deserted with a cab just sitting there ready to take us in to Manhatten. I've rarely felt so lucky in all my life

Almost disappointingly, even the cab driver wasn't uber rude - I just don't know what New York is coming to!

 

[Scoffers]

I go to the US about 10 times a year on business and I have to say that most of the time the customs officials are friendly and welcoming. There are a few though, who can be really awkward even for a regular traveler like me. To a certain extent, it's luck of the draw which official you get.

 

[nicko31]

Last month we were in New York. Because we are a bit slow getting off the plane we are always at the back of the queue for immigration so was dreading it - I've had seriously bad experiences at JFK and at O'Hare in the past. We got to the immigration hall and, seeing my wife walking with a stick, we were ushered through a series of barriers by an absolutely charming woman attendant. We were behind a couple who were already being processed and an Albanian family who were emigrating to join relatives in the States under the immigration lottery scheme and their entry was clearly going to take a good while (there were seven of them). While the attendant went to get a chair the youngest daughter of the Albanian family (the only one who spoke English) immediately invited us to go ahead of them in the queue. We chatted for ten minutes or so about the life they could expect (I happen to know the area in Chicago where they were moving to quite well) and swapped addresses before being ushered forward. We then collected our luggage and walked through to the taxi queueing area only to find it deserted with a cab just sitting there ready to take us in to Manhatten. I've rarely felt so lucky in all my life

Almost disappointingly, even the cab driver wasn't uber rude - I just don't know what New York is coming to!

My experience was at JFK, I'm glad yours was better. I've travelled to over 40 countries but nothing beats the US for some poor attitide to visitors, they need the money these days like everyone else but they aren't doing themselves any favours at all. Until you are through to the otherside everyone is looking for work illegally, looking to settle for forever there (why?) or just a plain old terrorist..

 

[severnside gull]

My experience was at JFK, I'm glad yours was better. I've travelled to over 40 countries but nothing beats the US for some poor attitide to visitors, they need the money these days like everyone else but they aren't doing themselves any favours at all. Until you are through to the otherside everyone is looking for work illegally, looking to settle for forever there (why?) or just a plain old terrorist..

You're right of course but New York is notoriously rude to the extent that it's part of the tourist experience!
This was my sixth or seventh visit and it felt surreal - from start to finish almost everyone we met was charming, helpful.............it almost didn't feel like the big apple at all.

Then on the last morning we had a waitress who served us an absolutely abysmal french toast breakfast and then disappeared for twenty minutes so I couldn't easily complain. When I didn't tip her (now THAT is a cultural experience and a half!) she went ballistic, shouting at us as she followed us to the door - felt just like New York's supposed to be

 

[father_and_son]

When they changed their immigration status to "arse hole" I stopped going (so 10+ years now!).

I find they when I express my opinion, exactly as OP and others, that until they welcome me to their country, I won't go, it rouses the suspicion in everyone I talk to that I won't go to US because I can't go to US. Its reassuring to see others feel the yanks have the wrong attitude to travellers albeit not following me in my trade embargo!

 

[Mtoto]

If you think that's bad, you should try getting a visa to do any sort of work. I'm there just one week a year for work, and so required to have an "I" visa. To book an appointment at the Embassy, you have to ring a phone line that costs more than a pound a minute, then when you turn up two weeks later you have to go in with nothing but the clothes you're wearing - ie. no bags, phones etc - so those all have to go in a locker at the station.

Then you queue. And queue. And queue. And you finally get to a window, you hand over your stuff, and you start queueing again. Then you get your "interview", where they ask a series of questions to which the only sensible answer is no, unless you want one of the guys with automatic weapons to drop you there and then.

Four or five hours later, you emerge blinking into the sunlight, with the right to enter the US to go about your lawful business for another five years.

Then you arrive at Chicago or JFK, and you *still* have to queue for 2 hours to be fingerprinted and photographed and generally treated like someone who's just itching to do something really bad if they will only give you the chance.

As it happens, I'm actually very fond of Americans in general, but this is when you see them at their insular worst.

 

[Insel affe]

Being married to a yankee and having a dual nationality daughter they always give me grief about am I over to get a green card. Also I have now taking to wearing long sleeve shirts as they seem to give you a bit more hassle if they see tattoos and ask me what prison I have been in ! However an large apart from one unpleasent time (about six hours interigation) they have been fine.

 

[severnside gull]

There is a very strange subculture in the States. In a country which as a general rule is capable of offering some of the best customer service experiences anywhere in shops and restaurants, all security style services offer exactly the opposite experience as standard - extreme hostility with the underthreat of violence! Odd really when you come from a nation where service staff are too often absolutely dire and often downright rude, and police and armed forces are trained to be (almost) unfailingly polite.



Generalisms of course

 

[albion534]

What do people expect? It's the USA!

Be like going to France and not seeing a single person walking home from work with a baguette!!

 

[BensGrandad]

Going to Vegas in July so can we expect to be held up for 2 hours on entry.

 

[User removed 4]

I've been 3 times, the first 2, florida and new york, which were before 9/11 ,immigration staff were so unfriendly I felt like telling them to stick their country up their arse and I'll take my tourist money elsewhere, tha last time in 2005 , the staff at las vegas mccarran were very friendly and welcoming.

 

[Badger]

I have flown into the US on 3 occasions and had the following experiences:

LAX - Long queues, probably about an hour and a half and I was already pretty pissed off after a 10 hour delay at Auckland. Eventually I got a miserable git who seemed to take pleasure in trying to make out I wasn't a genuine tourist.

Atlanta - The queue wasn't too bad maybe half an hour but the guy was equally as miserable although less suspicious of everone.

Boston - No queue at all and a really friendly and welcoming guy

It varies but I get the impression the larger the airport the more suspicious and unfriendly they are going to be.

 

[Insel affe]

Oh I will add going through immigration at Detroit they are more amazed that someone wants to stay there.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Oh I will add going through immigration at Detroit they are more amazed that someone wants to stay there.

Ha ha. Yes. We have spoken about this before. I ended up telling them about their history and tourist sites.

I also flew into JFK without any luggage once, just my wallet, phone and a guide book to Spain. This caused a few problems.

 

[ALBION28]

Stateside entry has become a breeze since marrying an American. Even though I am a Brit I get to go through the U.S citizen line and get the green light welcome back to America..have a nice day treatment.
It was different in the past when I was single, one of those Goddamned Aliens..yes they call us that. I was subjected to the wait and worse the hands up against the wall legs spread and sniffer dog up my arse. Not pleasant, a fellow Brit responded with a sarcastic 'Welcome to America' and was promptly marched away. So obviously if you want it easy every time marry one of them!

 

[mikeyjh]

Going to Vegas in July so can we expect to be held up for 2 hours on entry.

I've never had a problem arriving in Vegas, you should be absolutely fine - You should always prepare by sharpening your elbows for the run to immigration though!

 

[Uter]

I've never had a problem arriving in Vegas, you should be absolutely fine - You should always prepare by sharpening your elbows for the run to immigration though!

Took us about 2 hours, but that was in 2007. Maybe things have improved.

 

[Springal]

Travel 4 times a year to US and normally OK, but worst is O'Hare. A later flight in to JFK is usually OK, Newark ok. Miami can be heavy at the wrong time, and bit rude.

If it bothers you that much, go via Canada as you clear immigration there and land in US as a domestic

 

[tedlit]

Travel 4 times a year to US and normally OK, but worst is O'Hare. A later flight in to JFK is usually OK, Newark ok. Miami can be heavy at the wrong time, and bit rude.

If it bothers you that much, go via Canada as you clear immigration there and land in US as a domestic

Oddly, I flew though O'Hare on a Friday afternoon last month.. and it was sweetness and light all the way. All this really proves is that it is very much the luck of the draw. On the other hand.. I have *never* had a bad experience at a west coast airport - Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco are virtually always crowd-free with minimal queues.

Going through Canada is a common option - my experience of this is flying through Vancouver. Canadian customs is a breeze - light, airy hall.. coffee shops.. friendly staff.. and then you go into US Customs. It's like being in a basement made entirely of grey, with the most sullen group of staff imaginable.. they wouldn't look out of place butlering in a gothic horror. After that, you then go through the US "security".. which I swear takes five times as long as any other airport as they insist on scanning your passport and boarding card about twenty times.

AND THEN.. you get into the "post-security" bit of the airport and discovery that - as you're technically in the US - there's absolutely sod all to do, and the only food is Tim Hortons or Burger King. Vancouver airport is full of awesome shops, restaurants, and stuff to look at.. but NONE OF IT is on the US side!

/rant