[kokey]

I have more than a folder full of paper work for visa applications that I have done over the years, mostly just to let me into countries for a visit, let alone work. Apart from that the paperwork I had to do to actually allow me to work in various countries. I am extremely careful about not breaking any immigration laws in any of the countries, e.g. not do anything that resembles paid or unpaid work except what's explicitly allowed in my visa. Once you get caught breaking immigration rules in one country, it becomes really hard to travel to other countries with strict immigration controls.

I tend to read about people who travel and casually break immigration rules with a certain level of schadenfreude, whether it's singers just casually lining up some gigs or people who overstay their 3 month visa waiver to the USA.

Some people think filling in an ESTA is effort (man I have to spend weeks preparing paperwork to be able to be granted a visa that allows me to fill in an ESTA in the first place), but events like these make me realise that at least some people get a small taste of what it's like for the rest of us who spend part of our lives having to deal with ever changing rules and paperwork and being at the mercy of the mood of an immigration official.

[trickaduu]

There is no ESTA to fill in going to the UK from the US (that I'm aware of anyway). No rules were being broken either. Just being too honest and excited coupled with not fully realising she should've just said on holiday and nothing else. I get to deal with changing rules and paperwork and being at the mercy of the mood of an immigration official all the time too, so I don't think it's just you or a certain kind of person.

[theorique]

What country is that, which makes things so complicated?