Entry fee for the USA

Hmmm...

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,26057521-5014090,00.html

Somewhat common for some countries to charge us to visit, why not charge them to visit us.

The US is already pretty unfriendly to visitors. This will just make it even more delightful! I'm trying to think of another country that charges an entry fee, and I'm coming up blank.

The only cost to get into Australia involves a processing fee for visas. I imagine the same is in place for anyone is who requires a visa to visit the US.

The article says the fee will help pay for tourism promotions. Do you think that will offset the warm feelings caused by an entry fee?

I've never found the US to be unfriendly while I'm visiting. I must say though, I thought O'Hare was the worst airport in the world... until I went through JFK.

It's the only country that's ever fingerprinted me on arrival, and I live here.

Keith wrote: The US is already pretty unfriendly to visitors. This will just make it even more delightful! I'm trying to think of another country that charges an entry fee, and I'm coming up blank. The only cost to get into Australia involves a processing fee for visas. I imagine the same is in place for anyone is who requires a visa to visit the US. The article says the fee will help pay for tourism promotions. Do you think that will offset the warm feelings caused by an entry fee?

berkeley em. they can stay home if they don't like it. and keep their berkeleying swine flu, too.

I know countries in Central America charges an entry fee to visitors. Honduras is one of them. $12 for standard passport, $6 for dod passport.

There are other countries that also have an entry fee although it's sometimes hidden in visa costs.

Good to know, I've never been to South or Central America.

When I was traveling to Taiwan 15 years ago, they charged an exit fee.

This is like taxing people who don't live here. Maybe we can figure out a way to charge people who don't come to the US. Leave those who come alone.

Oh, and you ain't seen the end of new taxes and fees yet. First visitors, then coca cola.

I was thinking several countries charged an exit fee.

spitfirebill wrote: This is like taxing people who don't live here.

Is it so much different than sales tax or all of the taxes built into alcohol, tobacco, or gasoline?

I remember Chile having an entry fee; a quick search shows that it's $100 for Americans.

stuart in mn wrote: When I was traveling to Taiwan 15 years ago, they charged an exit fee.

The PRC also charges a departure fee. Best $10 or so I ever spent.

I've also had trouble both entering and exiting the PRC because of the roman numeral following my name. On my passport/visa it's typed as three uppercase I's, but I typically write it as a single symbol. Thus, when I fill out an entry or departure card without thinking about the fact that I'm in a country with a different alphabet and no concept of roman numerals it causes problems.

I figured that out about the third time I got yanked out of line and stared at menacingly by some guy with an AK while immigration officer disappeared with my passport to find a supervisor.

Were becoming another Banana Republic

Just try to get OUT of some of our countries to the south. They charge you to leave. I almost didn't save enough money to come back one time

$12 dolars isin't exactly extorion, but the cited article does make a good point about taxing people who are already rewarding our economy just by coming here. It might have been smarter just to increase the visa fees, not that the government ever goes for smarter

Well, IIRC (the linked article either glosses over that or I'm not awake enough to have seen it) this fee is aimed at those of us who don't need a visa to visit the US but are able to visit the US under the so-called Visa Waiver Program (like Australians, most European countries). So there are no visa fees to increase and most if not all of the countries that are part of the VWP don't charge US visitors for the privilege to enter or leave their respective countries either. Speeding tickets don't count .

Personally I don't think it's a smart move, a lot of people here consider it a reintroduction of the visa fee through the back door, plus the fingerprinting on entry is putting people off from visiting the US already. Raising the bar again isn't going to help with the tourism industry, is it?

While twelve bucks aren't the end of the world, I think this is more about the message it sends rather than the actual amount. Plus it's politicians doing economics maths again because as usual they're likely to assume that it won't have any effect on the number of visitors even though I think it will. So it'll never make the money they said it would, but I'm sure they can fix it by increasing the fee...

Massachusetts charges you to leave.

Billy, I didn't know California charged you to leave also, but it doesn't surprise me. People (and jobs) moving out of California (The PRC) are the state's biggest export.

Exit fees are common in all my Caribbean travels. They just want you to stay!

AngryCorvair wrote: berkeley em. they can stay home if they don't like it. and keep their berkeleying swine flu, too.

Problem is the Mexicans aren't staying home

wlkelley3 wrote: I know countries in Central America charges an entry fee to visitors. Honduras is one of them. $12 for standard passport, $6 for dod passport. There are other countries that also have an entry fee although it's sometimes hidden in visa costs.

Is this recent? I don't remember paying to enter, and I was there in 07. I did pay a salida when I left

Dr. Hess wrote: Massachusetts charges you to leave.

So does NJ

Leslie- You think O'Hare is bad, try MIA, Miami International.

In reply to cwh:

or Newark, bleh

I flew out of Miami in May and it didn't seem too bad.

Mexico was $10USD to leave by plane