David: No worries, if this make you feel better, the high likelihood of this happening to any Latinamerican professional when enter to the United States borders is very common. Hard to believe when they ask you what is your profession I used to respond Environmental scientist or ecologist, it looks to me that they associate drugs with environmentalist movements.
Take it easy and enjoy travelling the world ! Arturo Restrepo On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 8:25 PM, David R. Anderson < [email protected]> wrote: > I flew to London-Heathrow a week ago on my way to Glasgow, Scotland where > I was to give a 2-dayworkshop, a day of consultation and a seminar. The > University of Glasgow was to pay for my expenses and services and 41 grad > students, post docs, and faculty were registered for the workshop. I was > detained at Heathrow by the UK Border Agency for nearly 5 hours. During > this time I was searched, questioned, fingerprinted, photograhped and > moved from one secure room to the next -- like a criminal. My carry-on > suitcase and leather bag with my workshop materials were emptied and > searched, along with my wallet. I asked on 7 different occasions to be > able to call the US Embassy -- these requests were denied! At the end of > this long process the agent announced that I was to be deported the next > day! They claimed that I did not have a special visa or a "certificate > of sponsorship." Indeed, I had neither; I had never heard of such > requirements for a US citizen. I have spent 42 years working in > academic/science and have travelled to many foreign countries. I have > never experienced such detention and deportation. > > UK universities, travel agents, immigration attorneys, my US Senator's > office and others are now trying to unravel exactly what papers are > actually required. This search has proven to be difficult for a number of > reasons. This matter is important as all the UK universities have > academic visitors arriving daily for conferences, symposia, workshops, and > seminars, etc., etc. with countless agreements concerning reimbursments > and honoraria. It seems that special documents are now required or one > faces deportation and all the related expenses. I will post agian if I > learn more; in the meantime, professionals going to the UK should make > every effort to obtain the "required" documents. >
