It sounds like they don't like people staying for 2 months with only $600 liquid funds.
Consider it from the perspective of a loan - if someone you don't know well asked you for a loan, and said it was secured against "cult-booblahs" and that they were meeting with another member who traded in "cult-booblahs" this afternoon to sort it all out, it probably isn't going to go too well. From security's perspective, they are going to be immediately thinking one of: some weird drug lingo/money laundering situation, some weird pyramid scheme, or some cultist or anarchist dealing in imaginary currency. You've just made a simple question far more difficult than it needs to be.
It kind of raises the questions - why would someone with only $600 cash in the world be entering a rather expensive country for two months? From security's point of view, why would someone with only $600 cash have thrice that or more invested in some weird investment scheme? Finally, how does the founder of a bitcoin exchange have so little liquid assets/accessible emergency credit?
As an FYI, the author mentions they're from the UK or Ireland, and we were asked the same questions in both places (ensuring you have enough funds to support yourself) upon entry so this isn't US specific. Bringing enough cash to support yourself is expected (you could have said you are collecting a $10,000 loan rather than bitcoin and you probably would have still been refused - visitors should be able to demonstrate they can support themselves for their trip without relying on some deal going through once they're in the country).
I hope travel insurance covered the cost of the unfortunate trip.
Yep. I can't remember the last time I was not asked this question whenever I was going into a country for anything more than a day.
As the article mentioned, he was asked about credit cards: this definitely has been my saving grace and on at least one occasion, I was asked to see how much credit I had available to me. For me, at least, it helped that I had a fairly high limit, and my latest statement to show that I wasn't close to that limit.
One other thing that works in your favour is a return flight as well as prebooked/preplanned accommodation. If you can show that you already have 'where to stay' worked out (this includes a phone number and address, especially if staying with friends), and that you have already worked out how to get home, that kind of stuff makes things a lot easier. In my experience, at least.
Of course you run the risk of being barred for life from the US if they ask questions and you can't prove you have this figure. Although in that case they might let it slide as a mix-up (I thought I could include this virtual currency..).
If we mention we have 1g of ethanol, the same thing will happen if the agent is unaware of such thing. It's better not to mention anything that sounds foreign or unconventional. It's their job to dig deeper when that happens.
Sorry I don't know much about this stuff, but I find some of the things done to the author pretty crazy. The one thing that really stood out for me was sending him back. That is a huge amount of money and time wasted for a ridiculous reason. Why can't you fight for yourself in these situations, you should have some rights because the crap they are doing is just unfair.
Also, what if you have a laptop with all your passwords and stuff, would they just go on ahead and copy your hard drive with you not being able to do anything?
I know little about the author and if he needed a visa to enter the US, or the process to get said visa. But extrapolating a bit from the post (returned to China) and my bit of knowledge it surprises me he was able to reach the US border at all. I'd have though that just to get a visa and be able to board the plane he'd have needed solid proof of having enough money immediatly available to live the full extent of this stay (and a fair bit more.)
From the point of view of the custom agent he was just an illegal worker waiting to happen.
EDIT: How can the "Founder of the Global Bitcoin Stock Exchange" end up in this situation? Doesn't inspire much confidence in this GBSE...
He attempted to enter the US on a Visa Waiver (citizens of some western countries are eligible). A Visa Waiver doesn't require you to apply for a visa beforehand, you just hop on a plane when you feel like it. The terms and and conditions however state that you have to show sufficient funds for your stay when entering the country. He probably will be ineligible for VW in the future :/
So, hypothetically assuming you had said "Yes, I am carrying $2,100 in cash, and will be spending 2 months in NYC and San Francisco", that wouldn't have been a maximally effective answer either. As a young man, their primary worry with you is that you are an immigration risk. If you don't have visible means of support or obvious ties to your home country, then you are probably angling to get a job in the US.
Factors which would not break in your favor here: you're a young man without a family, you are arriving from China rather than Ireland, you had $600 in your pocket and intend on visiting two of the most expensive cities anywhere (which are separated by a $600 plane ticket), and (probably leastly) you think you're going to get money from some shady individual in the US once you get here because of a quirky hawala system that you claim to be a participant in.
Hypothetically assuming one wants to get into the US, "Yes, I'm here for business or pleasure with a defined start and stop date. Here's the hotel reservations and itinerary. Afterwards, I'll be going back to my comfortable middle class life back home in $NATION -- you know, wife, kids, job, a whole bunch of things which are much more attractive than a sudden impulse to live in America. Money? Why yes, I have easily enough money to do what I came to do. If I needed more, I would use my credit cards."
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[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 43.5 ms ] threadConsider it from the perspective of a loan - if someone you don't know well asked you for a loan, and said it was secured against "cult-booblahs" and that they were meeting with another member who traded in "cult-booblahs" this afternoon to sort it all out, it probably isn't going to go too well. From security's perspective, they are going to be immediately thinking one of: some weird drug lingo/money laundering situation, some weird pyramid scheme, or some cultist or anarchist dealing in imaginary currency. You've just made a simple question far more difficult than it needs to be.
It kind of raises the questions - why would someone with only $600 cash in the world be entering a rather expensive country for two months? From security's point of view, why would someone with only $600 cash have thrice that or more invested in some weird investment scheme? Finally, how does the founder of a bitcoin exchange have so little liquid assets/accessible emergency credit?
As an FYI, the author mentions they're from the UK or Ireland, and we were asked the same questions in both places (ensuring you have enough funds to support yourself) upon entry so this isn't US specific. Bringing enough cash to support yourself is expected (you could have said you are collecting a $10,000 loan rather than bitcoin and you probably would have still been refused - visitors should be able to demonstrate they can support themselves for their trip without relying on some deal going through once they're in the country).
I hope travel insurance covered the cost of the unfortunate trip.
As the article mentioned, he was asked about credit cards: this definitely has been my saving grace and on at least one occasion, I was asked to see how much credit I had available to me. For me, at least, it helped that I had a fairly high limit, and my latest statement to show that I wasn't close to that limit.
One other thing that works in your favour is a return flight as well as prebooked/preplanned accommodation. If you can show that you already have 'where to stay' worked out (this includes a phone number and address, especially if staying with friends), and that you have already worked out how to get home, that kind of stuff makes things a lot easier. In my experience, at least.
Also, what if you have a laptop with all your passwords and stuff, would they just go on ahead and copy your hard drive with you not being able to do anything?
Authorities tend to want to avoid that.
From the point of view of the custom agent he was just an illegal worker waiting to happen.
EDIT: How can the "Founder of the Global Bitcoin Stock Exchange" end up in this situation? Doesn't inspire much confidence in this GBSE...
Factors which would not break in your favor here: you're a young man without a family, you are arriving from China rather than Ireland, you had $600 in your pocket and intend on visiting two of the most expensive cities anywhere (which are separated by a $600 plane ticket), and (probably leastly) you think you're going to get money from some shady individual in the US once you get here because of a quirky hawala system that you claim to be a participant in.
Hypothetically assuming one wants to get into the US, "Yes, I'm here for business or pleasure with a defined start and stop date. Here's the hotel reservations and itinerary. Afterwards, I'll be going back to my comfortable middle class life back home in $NATION -- you know, wife, kids, job, a whole bunch of things which are much more attractive than a sudden impulse to live in America. Money? Why yes, I have easily enough money to do what I came to do. If I needed more, I would use my credit cards."