Travelers to the U.S. must pay a new "visa integrity fee" to visit, but questions remain as to how and when it will be implemented. Here's what we know so far.
My trip to the USA in 2016 was one of the most harrowing, dehumanising, and humiliating experiences of my life. And I’m talking specifically about the actual journey, i.e. after the already lengthy, painful process of acquiring a visa.
They treated me like a terrorist. I had to be escorted by 2 armed big dudes around the airport, and they flipped their shit when I reached for my phone to tell my brother it’d be a while before I can come out (just so he wouldn’t worry.) They went through my bag and were handling everything SUPER gently, asking if it was “safe” for them to touch it.
They then confiscated my passport, walked off, and literally never returned it to me. I spent hours asking various members of airport staff what to do because I was screwed. Thankfully, eventually one of them found it in a drawer and gave it back to me.
I was a minor BTW. I have had no desire to repeat the experience since.
What did you do or what circumstances? No surprises if you came from a developing country or a country on a State Department watchlist, then they’ll manhandle you.
Not new either. There is no such thing as “normal” to me, because one will have so much privilege versus someone who doesn’t have any. For one, there was the Chinese Exclusion Act more than a century ago.
My trip to the USA in 2016 was one of the most harrowing, dehumanising, and humiliating experiences of my life. And I’m talking specifically about the actual journey, i.e. after the already lengthy, painful process of acquiring a visa.
They treated me like a terrorist. I had to be escorted by 2 armed big dudes around the airport, and they flipped their shit when I reached for my phone to tell my brother it’d be a while before I can come out (just so he wouldn’t worry.) They went through my bag and were handling everything SUPER gently, asking if it was “safe” for them to touch it.
They then confiscated my passport, walked off, and literally never returned it to me. I spent hours asking various members of airport staff what to do because I was screwed. Thankfully, eventually one of them found it in a drawer and gave it back to me.
I was a minor BTW. I have had no desire to repeat the experience since.
What did you do or what circumstances? No surprises if you came from a developing country or a country on a State Department watchlist, then they’ll manhandle you.
This is not ok or normal…
Not new either. There is no such thing as “normal” to me, because one will have so much privilege versus someone who doesn’t have any. For one, there was the Chinese Exclusion Act more than a century ago.
Honestly, I wish I was in your shoes because you get to leave this place.