US Citizens will need Visa Waiver to visit Schengen countries starting 2021

[Dashinka 23,245]

6 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Sure.. but I think there will be a lot of people that won't do the research. We take for granted our little blue booklets can get us anywhere. They are already having issues in the UK about raising awareness for new passports for future EU travel after Brexit. That website could also use a lot less wordy clarifying. It's just silly.

You are absolutely correct, a lot of folks will not do the research and will gain some knowledge at check-in.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

4 hours ago, yuna628 said:

Sure.. but I think there will be a lot of people that won't do the research. We take for granted our little blue booklets can get us anywhere. They are already having issues in the UK about raising awareness for new passports for future EU travel after Brexit. That website could also use a lot less wordy clarifying. It's just silly.

I can see it being an issue for people who are used to travelling there repeatedly.  But anyone who travels to a foreign country for the first time without checking the requirements is a special kind of dumb.

[Nature Boy 2.0 8,315]

1 hour ago, ALFKAD said:

I can see it being an issue for people who are used to travelling there repeatedly.  But anyone who travels to a foreign country for the first time without checking the requirements is a special kind of dumb.

I googled special kind of dumb.. got this

 

[yuna628 9,528]

1 hour ago, ALFKAD said:

I can see it being an issue for people who are used to travelling there repeatedly.  But anyone who travels to a foreign country for the first time without checking the requirements is a special kind of dumb.

As evidenced by this forum, a special kind of dumb can be seen all the time, and results in fraud, bans, failed visa attempts, improperly put together applications, denials...roses and sweaty towels dangled from a balcony.. all sorts of stuff.   Honestly though hubby's parents take their travels to the EU for granted and don't much pay attention. When it's time to come here, we have to make sure everything is done for them. They knew nothing about ESTAs or even how to fill 'em out. My parents would be the same. Technologically incapable.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

2 hours ago, yuna628 said:

As evidenced by this forum, a special kind of dumb can be seen all the time, and results in fraud, bans, failed visa attempts, improperly put together applications, denials...roses and sweaty towels dangled from a balcony.. all sorts of stuff.   Honestly though hubby's parents take their travels to the EU for granted and don't much pay attention. When it's time to come here, we have to make sure everything is done for them. They knew nothing about ESTAs or even how to fill 'em out. My parents would be the same. Technologically incapable.

Rose's and sweaty towels? I'm clueless...

 

Then again, I had no idea what an ESTA was until this thread happened.

[yuna628 9,528]

1 hour ago, ALFKAD said:

Rose's and sweaty towels? I'm clueless...

 

Then again, I had no idea what an ESTA was until this thread happened.

Sorry it's a throwback joke to a legendary locked thread.. Boiler probably knows what I'm referring to. Don't think I've ever laughed at a thread so hard before. Point is, people just generally think they will be okay to visit wherever, buy the tickets, and then have everything backfire. Currently so annoyed that his parents did not buy tickets when they were on sale. Now the prices are jacked sky high. His Dad wants to go to Dulles... no I am not driving nearly three hours to pick ya'll up from that crazy airport and then add 3hrs back + an additional hour to get to the hotel. Got to try and remember if they need a new ESTA this year too.

[Ben & Katy 168]

Makes me wonder if Canada will start doing this for USC soon.  I don't see this as an issue I mean its not like we now have to go to a consulate, pay for a visa to the EU, have an interview and then get denied like someone would from Brazil or Mexico that wants a US tourist visa to visit. 

[millefleur 5,035]

2 minutes ago, Ben & Katy said:

Makes me wonder if Canada will start doing this for USC soon.  I don't see this as an issue I mean its not like we now have to go to a consulate, pay for a visa to the EU, have an interview and then get denied like someone would from Brazil or Mexico that wants a US tourist visa to visit. 

It might be a little different since Canadians are not charged anything to enter the US...but it seems like a money maker so there's an incentive to do it for sure. In terms of security reasons though, I think Canada and the US are much more on the same page with that so it might not be as needed from that point of view.

[Unidentified 2,930]

On 3/9/2019 at 9:21 PM, millefleur said:

I think it might also be better for security reasons.

 

My very first trip abroad ever was in 2009 to France. I was so excited to get a stamp in my passport for the first time. I walked into a room with a bunch of border agents behind glass and I looked at the agent, I was holding the passport in my hand (not even open, the only thing he saw was the blue cover and that it was a US passport) and the border agent just waved his hand in a kind of "OK you're fine, you can go" motion (he didn't even say anything) and didn't even check my passport to verify my identity nor stamp it. Since this was my first time doing international travel ever, I thought "Huh, ok...so I guess some other checkpoint border person will stamp it." But....nope, nothing, nobody ever checked! I was literally let into the country with ZERO stamp, no check, nothing! The French...lol.

 

It's still in my old passport to this day....no entry stamp, just an exit stamp from that trip. And when I exited France, they also never checked or asked why I had no entry stamp, just roboticly and blindly put the exit stamp in, lol. So it seems so making people pay and register online seems like a more secure way of actually keeping track of who is coming and going.

Last time my husband and I went to Sweden (he has US passport I have Swedish passport) I was the only one getting questions and the only question asked was "You don't live here right?" and then we were let in. They weren't even interested in knowing how long my husband would be in the country  No one checks anything.  As you leave there's a wide corridor with one side for people that have things to declare, no one walks on that side and there's no officer there either. So you can bring whatever you want. 

 

I can't wait for the day CBP moves into Arlanda. Hopefully kicking out all the criminals working at the airport unless they already had to do it when the media found out...

[nullaccount234 882]

3 hours ago, Unidentified said:

Last time my husband and I went to Sweden (he has US passport I have Swedish passport) I was the only one getting questions and the only question asked was "You don't live here right?" and then we were let in. They weren't even interested in knowing how long my husband would be in the country  

When my husband and I went through the passport check in Stockholm a few months ago, they asked me questions about him in Swedish, him standing next to me, totally clueless. Having worked in a job where I needed to check people's identities, I for one always preferred to talk to the actual person identifying themselves, even if they didn't speak Swedish. But hey that's their decision I guess.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Just now, LizM said:

When my husband and I went through the passport check in Stockholm a few months ago, they asked me questions about him in Swedish, him standing next to me, totally clueless. Having worked in a job where I needed to check people's identities, I for one always preferred to talk to the actual person identifying themselves, even if they didn't speak Swedish. But hey that's their decision I guess.

Yeah it was the same, the little he spoke was in Swedish directed to me. It's a joke. They suck. 

[TBoneTX 43,058]

At least they didn't ask you in Polish.  

[Ban Hammer 12,837]

On 3/11/2019 at 4:05 PM, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

I googled special kind of dumb.. got this

 

[Illiria 980]

On 3/11/2019 at 2:16 PM, yuna628 said:

roses and sweaty towels dangled from a balcony.. all sorts of stuff.   

You made my day 

 

On 3/11/2019 at 4:20 PM, ALFKAD said:

I'm clueless...

Here

 

 

Then she basically smuggled the ‘niece’ into the country 

[Crazy Cat 39,227]

On 3/11/2019 at 4:16 PM, yuna628 said:

roses and sweaty towels dangled from a balcony..

Hahaha!!!   That goes back a way, huh?