Jim Eagles: Welcome to States of confusion

Is the United States a place you're better off avoiding in this era of the War Against Terror and tough new border controls?

I haven't been there since September 11 - ironically, I was in a Las Vegas casino called New York New York when the planes hit the World Trade Centre - but I've heard a lot of grizzles about the hassle of going there under the new rules.

There's no doubt that visiting the US these days is not as straightforward as it was.

For a start, the new process makes it particularly important to check whether you need a visa. Unfortunately it's not a straightforward question to answer and if there's any doubt, you'd better get one. There have been cases of New Zealanders who thought they didn't need a visa to enter the US being handcuffed and sent home.

If you do need a visa then that has become a demanding exercise requiring a visit to the Auckland Consulate for an interview along with supporting papers and a $140 fee. That's quite an issue if you live somewhere like Invercargill.

Then you need to have a street address for the place you will be staying, right down to the zip code, ready for when you check in at the airport, so it can be sent to the US for checking. Most travel agents automatically provide that information but people who have made their own arrangements, especially if they plan to sort out accommodation on arrival, can run into problems.

Finally, when you arrive there's the ordeal of rigorous security, immigration and customs checks - including being fingerprinted and having your photo taken - conducted by officials who can be rude and capricious. The situation is not helped by the fact that Los Angeles, still the main gateway to the US for Kiwis, is a hectic and unpleasant place designed to fray the nerves of both travellers and officials at the best of times.

I've heard several horror stories of people being given a hard time by security officials for no apparent reason or finding themselves accused of offences apparently committed by someone with a similar name and, as a result, vowing never to return.

There has certainly been a drop in the number of Kiwis going to the US in recent years. According to Statistics New Zealand, back in 1994 7.2 per cent of overseas trips by New Zealanders were to the US. By 1999 that was down to 6.5 per cent in 1999, by 2005 it was down to 4.6 per cent and in the last three months it has hovered around 4 per cent.

But most people in the travel industry reckon the new rules haven't had a great impact on Kiwis wanting to holiday there.

Tony Moffat, general manager of United Travel, says there's no doubt that travellers are "not thrilled with the way you're treated when you arrive there" but "there's no sign it is causing people to change their holiday plans. Kiwis are resilient travellers who accept there'll be extra hassle involved in visiting the US and just get on with it."

However, the new rules do appear to be a deterrent for people who might previously have had a stopover in the US on the way to Europe.

Flight Centre communications manager John McGuinness said travellers with America as a final destination were usually accepting of the new security measures, and went anyway, but those heading on to Europe were not so sure. "The combination of what some people see as overly intrusive security measures and the growing interest in Asia has definitely had some travellers thinking twice about US stopovers."

Several travel agents, such as Kate Malcolm, owner-operator of Plimmer Steps House of Travel in Wellington, say they have had customers comment that "they'd like to avoid the States if possible - perhaps by transiting through Asia on their way to Europe - as they do find US customs difficult."

But Paula Sundin, US product manager for House of Travel, believes such talk has "more to do with what people have heard than their own experiences. Obviously some people have had bad experiences but I'd suggest the vast majority of those who go to the US don't have any particular difficulties. I go there two to three times a year and I've never had any problems."

When the new Department of Homeland Security took over the security role at airports there were a few hiccups "but," she says, "it's a lot better now".

In fact the latest figures show that the processing of people arriving at Los Angeles and San Francisco Airports takes an average of 30 minutes "which is not bad by any standards".

The news that LA is on a par with San Francisco when it comes to processing arrivals would probably come as a pleasant surprise to many.

But the best news for travellers is that the US has signalled that it is aware of the problem and, in the words of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, is anxious to "renew its welcome to foreign visitors".

Earlier this year Rice announced a three-part plan to "welcome visitors to the US without compromising security" by making more efficient use of technology, developing "travel documents for the 21st century" and introducing "smarter screening" of travellers.

As a first step the US is employing more consular officers and trialling the use of videoconferencing for interviews to make it easier for people to get visas without the need to travel. It has also relaxed the rules for foreign students going to study in the US.

According to Rice this is "only the beginnings of our efforts to create more secure borders and more open doors".

All that sounds encouraging. I'm certainly not going to strike the US off my holiday list. But when I do go I will be careful I've got the right paperwork. Being sent home in handcuffs is one experience I'd prefer to avoid.

* What has been your experience of getting through the US entry procedures? Send your story to travel@nzherald.co.nz.