This is a quick note of thanks to the Department of Homeland Security, of fame for the fabulously effective FEMA. Some of their recent policies have been most helpful to me.
I had received an invitation to a conference. I would have been quite interested in learning more about the subject in question by attending it.
Unfortunately, that would have meant an 18 hours flight (only for one way, so that's 36 hours including returning to Tokyo). It would also have meant that I would have to cancel quite a lot of classes. And the conference is timed exactly in the time of year I am most busy teaching.
So I had some trouble making up my mind.
Then the Department came to my rescue. I learned that, for reasons of security against terrorist threats, lately German citizens can only visit America without a visa if they have "machine-readable" passports. I don't possess such a thing (Germany is only introducing them this November).
That means that I would have to add the hassle of applying for a visa to the list of problems above.
I was still tempted to do so until I found out that an American visa really isn't a visa at all.
Even if I got the visa in time for the conference, all that entitles me to is an interview with the immigration officer once I land at some American airport. I have no guarantee whatsoever that I can actually attend the conference (after having a mugshot and my fingerprints taken at the border). Instead I might be handcuffed and end up in some detention facility.
It would be rather stupid for me to accept this procedure. I am expected to make plans long enough ahead to leave time for the visa application, then waste a lot of time and money for the CHANCE to MAYBE enter the country?
Of course, if the United States doesn't want me in their country, they have every right to decide as such. However, I think that the least one could ask for is that they make up their mind before I book my flight.
Never mind. I might have enjoyed that conference. But this made it very easy to decide the question immediately.
I am looking forward to blogging it.
Posted by Karl-Friedrich Lenz at October 7, 2005 09:51 PM