Immigration: U.S. Entry Process Considered The “World’s Worst”
WASHINGTON,
DC, Weds. Nov. 29, 2006: The U.S. ranks with Africa and the Middle East
when it comes to travel paperwork and rude immigration officials.
That’s
the word from the Discover America Partnership, which recently
commissioned a study of more than 2,000 travelers worldwide to gauge
perceptions of the U.S. visa and entry process.
Pollsters claim that the U.S. entry process was thought to be the “world’s worst” by travelers and that 54
percent of international travelers said that immigration officials are
rude. Two-thirds also surveyed fear they will be detained at the border
because of a simple mistake or misstatement.
The
study also found that by deterring visitors, the U.S. is missing an
enormous economic and diplomatic opportunity since U.S. entry process
has created a climate of fear and frustration that is turning away
foreign business and leisure travelers from visiting and damaging
America’s image abroad.
“This
study should be a wake-up call for the U.S. government,” said Geoff
Freeman, executive director of the Discover America Partnership.
“Visiting the United States and interacting with the American people
can have a powerful, positive effect on how non-U.S. residents see our
country. Unfortunately, perceptions of a ‘rude’ and ‘arrogant’ entry
process are turning away travelers and harming America’s image.”
The
study was conducted by the independent polling firm RT Strategies
between October 25th and November 9th, 2006. Two-thousand and eleven
non-U.S. resident international travelers were surveyed, representing
15 plus countries worldwide. Half of those travelers had visited the
U.S. since September 11, 2001 while the other half had not visited the
U.S. since September 11, 2001. The Discover America Partnership was
launched in September, 2006 by some of America’s foremost business
leaders. – Hardbeatnews.com
The U.S. Immigration Law Blog by Ashwin Sharma 