Comments on: Another Foot Down the Slippery Slope http://www.elharo.com/blog/travel/2006/07/20/another-foot-down-the-slippery-slope/ Ranting and Raving Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:25:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Francois http://www.elharo.com/blog/travel/2006/07/20/another-foot-down-the-slippery-slope/#comment-9180 Francois Sat, 29 Jul 2006 00:35:26 +0000 http://www.elharo.com/blog/travel/2006/07/20/another-foot-down-the-slippery-slope/#comment-9180 The reason for all this trouble, is that the US requires anyone who lands on US soils to clear immigration (i.e. to enter the US) even if he/she is only in transit, meaning does not need or want to actually enter the US. US airports don't have an "international zone" where you can stay in between flights: whenever you land in the US, you immediately get through immigration - no choice. Airports in most other countries have this notion of "international zone". People can stay in this zone between flights, or even longer sometimes. There's a guy who ended up living for 20 years in the international zone at Roissy Charles de Gaule in Paris (a movie was done on his case recently). So people are used to spend a few hours shopping in tax-free shops, without really thinking about the country they are going through.... This is the case in London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong... Except in the US. So people who come to the US just to change planes are often not aware that they will need a US visa just for the change of plane. In a "normal" situation, the US should naturally change how its airports work, by providing an international zone: but it's certainly too tempting for homeland security to know (and to arrest) anyone going through planes on US soil... your advise is probably right... :( The reason for all this trouble, is that the US requires anyone who lands on US soils to clear immigration (i.e. to enter the US) even if he/she is only in transit, meaning does not need or want to actually enter the US. US airports don’t have an “international zone” where you can stay in between flights: whenever you land in the US, you immediately get through immigration - no choice.

Airports in most other countries have this notion of “international zone”. People can stay in this zone between flights, or even longer sometimes. There’s a guy who ended up living for 20 years in the international zone at Roissy Charles de Gaule in Paris (a movie was done on his case recently). So people are used to spend a few hours shopping in tax-free shops, without really thinking about the country they are going through…. This is the case in London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong… Except in the US. So people who come to the US just to change planes are often not aware that they will need a US visa just for the change of plane.

In a “normal” situation, the US should naturally change how its airports work, by providing an international zone: but it’s certainly too tempting for homeland security to know (and to arrest) anyone going through planes on US soil… your advise is probably right… :(

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