Illegal Allen: Lily denied at US border

and we can watch tv or something.

Don't you apply for a visa before even leaving the country?

..

This is an interesting situation. The US's highly rigid immigration system can eject people for the slightest blot on their records.

On the one hand, this has the potential to limit the ability of British bands from cracking the US market by restricting their ability to tour, which would be damaging to record company interests on both sides of the Atlantic.

On the other hand, every time I hear about this happening, it's always to a band that is totally shit.

It's a pickle.

"feel for her" i'm not talking blind gropes.

Denied entry just because she kicked a snapper? Bit harsh that!

I can't help but like Lily Allen...she irritated the hell out of me at first but I've warmed to her a lot.

yes, you're meant to apply before you leave the country for a work visa.

if US immigration had stopped loads of national teams for World Cup 94, or the Atlanta Olympics, or the Salt Lake City Bribe Games from entering?

than people on here grudgingly admitting that they fancy Lily Allen after a news story?

The FA Cup?

Picnics?

Christmas?

No.

Went to the states other month, only got fingerprinted and photographed going in, and going out had to take my shoes and belt off going through the gate thingy.

shame i had 2 day old socks on and my jeans were VERY BAGGY, thus not a pretty sight/smell for the people with the magic wands.

what was worse was them taking shoes and belt of a old guy, who was ina wheel chair cos he was PARALYSED and CARRYING HIM THROUGH the magnetic gate thingy, wankers

US work visas are different to the little form you fill out on the plane. It takes a while to process and involves a visit to the US Embassy and all sorts.

Probably what happened is Lily got her work visa approved before the incident in March (they last a year). To her knowledge she was good to go but the border police weren't happy.

My partner and I have had lengthy significant dealings with U.S. Immigration. If her original performer visa was issued before she 'earned' her criminal record, she would have to apply for a new visa before entering the U.S. _PERIOD_

Criminal status is tied to one's visa status intrinsically in the U.S. Once a one's is cancelled, technically one has to wait five years for one's first opportunity to reapply. Before 9-1-1 there were a number of ways to 'address' this policy. There has been no successful turn-around of this policy since 9-1-1. The Immigration Review Tribunal, before which only a handful of 'licensed' immigration lawyers can appear, meets for two weeks each year and have overturned only a handful of cases in the last decade, they refuse to address most cases. A Senator or Congressman can seek a pardon and this was the most successful method before 9-1-1.

The only other way to get a visa after one's been refused entry, is to purchase greater than US$500,000 worth of operating business property in the U.S. ::ALL HAIL THE RICH::

U.S. immigration is extremely DRACONIAN.

For those 'not in the spotlight' one can enter the U.S. via a 'private flight', another option which also involves wealth. Entering via a private flight to a private air field, one then has 24 hours to reach a consulate and seek a consular entry rather than being subjected to the ridiculous scrutiny of U.S. border security. It's also a legal minefield if one has been denied entry in the past, so one had better have a good lawyer, but being on U.S. soil in the first place is most of the battle fought.

In the U.S., immigration is completely separate from the consulate. You can be issued a valid visa by the U.S. Consulate and still be denied entry at the border with NO RECOURSE. In the case of my partner, he went back to the consulate, was pardoned, given a new visa, and provided with a consular escort. He was still refused entry to the U.S. on the basis that his first visa was cancelled. Eventually, the consular attaché standing there explaining the situation to the border official, was threatened with imprisonment because he was "undermining the authority of the border security"!

BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN ENTERING THE U.S. The easiest way (believe it or not) is a Tourist Entry which is how most people enter the U.S. Once you're on U.S. soil you have tons more rights. Before you touch U.S. soil you are completely subject to the whims of pathological 'whack job' border officials many of whom seem to enjoy weilding power over the helpless. UNTIL YOU'RE ON U.S. SOIL YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS. THE INTERNATIONAL SECTION OF AN AIRPORT IS NOT TECHNICALLY U.S. SOIL.

Can't they send her to Gitmo or something?!?

i heard she ticked yes accidently under the are you a terrorist section