Bureaucracy only complicates travel
Written by: | 6 Feb 2009
International travel is becoming increasingly complicated, creating much more of a hassle for everyone wanting to visit or inhabit countries besides his/her own.
Even just the cost has gone up. Most tickets cost many times more than they used to, thanks in part to added fees outside airline control like the “September 11 Security Fee” (which must go towards funding the occasionally ridiculous heightened security measures).
And for citizens of other countries wanting to stay in America for longer than 90 days, there’s the lengthy and costly process of acquiring a Visa. It can cost hundreds of dollars for things like setting up an interview and submitting an application and that’s before they’re even guaranteed entry.
Rolling up the welcome mat
If they want to study or work in America it’s even harder and there’s really no way to know for sure how long it will take so plans must be made well in advance. Before one can even apply for a student Visa he’ll need papers from the school he’ll be attending and only certain schools are authorized to give them. That makes it difficult for foreigners to study in America at any level below college unless they get a Visa through an exchange program (which costs even more money).
Jumping through the hoops
Arriving in the country is probably the easiest part of the process, but that’s not to say there aren’t a lot of steps to get from the airplane to the exit. There’s the form with seemingly pointless questions like “Have you ever been involved in any terrorist activities?” (who puts “yes”?), or the process of getting all five fingers individually scanned.
Then there’s the heightened security. While much of it is probably necessary (and that Security Fee needs to be spent on something), there are plenty of times when it just seems ridiculous.
Getting searched
I traveled to France for Christmas and while traveling back, I was lucky enough to get my bag selected to be searched in the London Heathrow airport.
Like everyone else, I stood waiting for my backpack to come out of the x-ray after walking through the metal detector. Unfortunately for me, it veered off the main conveyor belt onto another and stopped where I couldn’t get it.
“He then waved a detector over every item before taking the empty bag to scan, all the time oblivious and/or uncaring of the fact that I might be in an airport because I actually had a plane to catch.”
Then it just sat there for a while, with me left wondering why my bag was chosen and why, if they were going to search it, they had to keep me waiting while my plane approached.
Eventually a man took it and while I observed, unpacked it all, one piece at a time. He then waved a detector over every item before taking the empty bag to scan, all the time oblivious and/or uncaring of the fact that I might be in an airport because I actually had a plane to catch.
When he was done I got my bag back, which he was kind enough to let me repack myself.
I finally arrived at my gate as boarding was just beginning, satisfied with the knowledge that the airport security was doing everything they could to stop potential terrorists like me.
I never really found out what was so special about my bag, since I had nothing that seemed threatening whatsoever – but I guess I can be comforted by the thought that he didn’t really know either, since he seemed surprised and a bit confused to find nothing of any interest in my bag.
Much ado about nothing
There are numerous examples of how the increased security can get in the way of smooth traveling without really preventing anything.
Plenty of security measures are definitely necessary, but the fact is, there are a lot of things that could be changed about the current system. Security could certainly be streamlined and improved, ideally being less intrusive and time consuming but still effective.
We can’t just let anyone into the country without any sort of system.
However, the current system for foreigners to visit, study or work in, or move to, America could definitely be improved.
There are plenty of people from other countries who mean well and could contribute a lot, or just want to live with friends or family. Because they don’t want to jump through so many hoops or can’t get a Visa in a timely manner, they may never get to see any of the great things America has to offer.
The bureaucracy of the current immigration system only hinders international unity and encourages illegal immigration.
Finding a balance
A balance needs to be found so that applicants are filtered conveniently and quickly without unnecessary hassles that only deter well meaning visitors, while the integrity of our country and our citizens is still kept intact.
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