Lame. I hope my work pays for the charge as part of my conference trip next january.

I don't feel the charge is too much of a hassel, but its just one of a growing number of things you need to do when you go over there. So much for the land of the free. More like the land of the "give us 3 days notice that you're coming so we can check you're not someone we don't like". Crap border control policy. Their whole border control security personel and customs officers can politely tongue my undercarriage.

I did have a nice chat to the passport control dude when I went 2 years ago though. He mentioned that he was ashamed of the way some of the personel can handle situations in the airport. Bloody top bloke

Reading the article the cost is $14. 10 of which is to go to promote US tourism, the other 4 is to cover admin costs.

Am I missing something here - if they want to promote US Tourism, why make any charge at all??? It seems they're making the tourists pay for the advertising to entice them to come in the first place.

The logic is sound. If I had a shop I'd double the price of everything to cover the cost of my 40% off sale.

US citizens do not require a transit visa for the UK at all. This arguement is about the reciprocal agreements and treatments between the US and UK. If you are not a US or UK citizen then maybe you should keep out of it .

The huge deal is that US citizens visiting the UK do not have to pay such a charge and are not treated in the same way. Still, it's nice to see the USA making the world a safer place .

Shan't be paying that charge then. Luckily I got the USA out of my system a while back with a couple of visits and I can't see it on my list of must go to again places before I snuff it. I prefer places with a bit of diversity .

Nah. I lived there for over 30 years and I still don't understand them, nor do I agree with the charges and feel much of the security is way OTT and ineffective.

I am a US citizen and I don't agree with the charges. I think that security is important, but they need to become more efficient and effective with security. I don't think that visitors to the US need to pay an administrative fee to be registered. Having said that, it is a fairly nominal fee, but it is the principle of the thing.

At this point, the US needs all the economic stimmuli it can get, not barriers to tourism. And I don't think $14 or whatever is going to turn back a terrorist, however.

Just more poorly thought out decisions, I fear.

Not by tourists it does not . . . do you think that the US is the only country that runs customs and duty services????

brasil makes or used to make US citizens give finger prints/ eye scan - all others dont have to

But this was reacting to what the US was doing.

Yes, but the Brazil requirement was done in retaliation to the American requirement of having fingerprints, etc.

47 pounds
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoap...isafeestransit

The entry requirements are still not strict enough

I will be happy to pay my additional ten bucks the next time I visit.

I would pay a lot more to visit this fantastic country.

Oh poor you!...
as a "third country national", this kind of things are a routine.

from experience, 150 US dollars for the US visa, another 120 francs for the UK (so that I do not have to pay for transit visas), in the end of September prolongation of Swiss residence permit.

add up other document package expenses plus all the nerves and time and energy wasted while waiting for them to background check you, check your docs and etc...fill out this customs declaration form, fill out that security form...scan finger-print here, scan finger-print there...as if it weren't enough they wanna peep into our pants too

and why wonder after this that economies of certain countries are developing so fast?

PS: still love the US, and Brooklin especially

I don't know. I'd get a certain level of childish satisfaction from charging Swiss tourists $50-$100 every time they thought about doing something. "Oh, you want to take pictures of the Grand Canyon? You need a permit for that."

unless your connecting flight or ship is within 24 hours which most connecting flights are, in which case it is free (no visa needed).

I'd go with nothing. But thats just me ....and my countrymen.....and a lot of other peoples contrymen

14$ ?
Where have I seen this before ?

oh yes - http://www.reuters.com/article/idUKLE49649520081014

lots of countries charge tourist taxes.

How much did the Russkies charge me for a friggin' tourist visa?

I reckon it was quite a bit more than the USD 14 being discussed here ... and I didn't even wanna go to Moscow.

Just take the mexican route!

it is free and you get free healt care and credit cards while in the US!

http://www.snopes.com/politics/immig...kofamerica.asp

no link needed to the "obama care" info


see you on the other side!

It is easy:

1. example:
I just came back from a shopping weekend in Amsterdam (yes, shopping, on a weekend. Would you believe that there are places where shops are open on SUNDAYS???...). We spend quite some money and any major EU city is or should try to attract revenues through the type of tourists we are. For the UK, my wife would despite her B-permit need a visa, so I can easily rule out London for a last minute weekend trip. Do we lose or the UK? Probably both, but the UK more...

2. example:
I do not care about the 14 bucks, but travelling to the US would require extensive paper work and an appointment with an interview (to assess weather or not we would possibly become illegal immigrants...). Besides the arrogant attitude (expecting everyone by default to try to stay in the US - there really cannot be a better place on earth...), this summer we had exactly ten days between the decision to make a two week vacation and the flight. I would have loved to make a round trip in the carribbean plus Florida, but there was no way to get the visa in that time. The US lost, the Maldives won revenues (and securing jobs in tourism - the biggest industry globally when it comes to the number of employees.).

I think every country has the right to make their rules as tight or lose as they wish. Most of us here have on a global scale a huge income and therefore should be welcomed as travellers - we would generate jobs abroad. Fortunately is the world big enough that I do not need to go to any place that aparently does not value my money.

In that sense I find it absolutely right that the EU is not playing kindergarden games, but still welcomes each and every US tourist.