sorry...yes you are correct. we do not fingerprint ALL foreigners...only those from the poor, browner countries that require visas. so it's ok.

My hubby was fingerprinted this past summer as he was still on a spousal visa when we arrived at the airport from a trip to Italy. And he is caucasian.

Fingerprinting also those from rich countries who apply for a visa to study, to work, to settle etc.

Well you guys should, at least all Americans as a retaliation of the idiotic fingerprinting and photographing of visitors when they arrive in the USA. What's good for the goose is good for the gander or something like that.

Canada has tightened things up for business travellers - maybe it is a result of goose and gander thinking, I don't know. We now need a letter of invitation from the company we are visiting plus a letter from our own company that states that we have a job and will be fully supported by our company while in Canada - even to attend professional conferences.

When I went to Ontario a couple weeks ago, I was asked some questions, but not asked for these letters. But, someone who works with my husband didn't have these letters and was denied entry.

>>>>>
We now need a letter of invitation from the company we are visiting plus a letter from our own company that states that we have a job and will be fully supported by our company while in Canada - even to attend professional conferences.
>>>>>

what? if you go from america to canada for a 3 day conference or week of sales meetings you need a letter from your employer and/or one from the company you are visiting? that's madness.

Thats odd Nov-moon. I went to Canada 2 weeks ago on a business trip - was doing a due diligence visit to a company we sub-advise for - and they didnt ask me for anything. Just asked what I was going to be doing and let me through! I was traveling on my UK passport.

"we britons fingerprint all foreign visitors at heathrow"

walkingaround, you talk a load of crap.

hooamaey, if you read on you'll notice that i acknowledged by mispeaking and (unlike most people here) i quickly corrected by mistake.

we britons fingerprint everyone who needs a visa to enter britain (largely the poorest, brownest and most vulnerable in the world). at the same time we britons hold ourselves to a higher moral standard because we think that it's only the americans who fingerprint foreigners. at least the americans treat all visitors the same way with regards to fingerprinting.

"(largely the poorest, brownest and most vulnerable in the world). " as well as everyone - including Americans & Austrlaians - who need to apply for a visa to enter the UK. So it's not "brownest", it's general and applies to Whitey just as much. There are also several "brown" countries - notably South American ones - where you don't need a visa to enter the UK as a tourist.

So stop spouting carp.

wakjubariybd,,,,most of the Western European countries have traditionally (this predates the formation of the eu and agreements such as schengen) have not required visas obviously for each other and for Americans, Canadians, Aussies, New Zealanders the ratinale probably being since their ways of life are more or less on an equal levels, there would not be a rush of people coming in as visitors and wanting to stay. It happens to make sense. Before the idotic fingerprinting and photographing started, the USA's list of visa waiver countries were generally based on the same idea. I really don't see a problem with that.

"hooamaey, if you read on you'll notice that i acknowledged by mispeaking and (unlike most people here) i quickly corrected by mistake.

we britons fingerprint everyone who needs a visa to enter britain (largely the poorest, brownest and most vulnerable in the world). at the same time we britons hold ourselves to a higher moral standard because we think that it's only the americans who fingerprint foreigners. at least the americans treat all visitors the same way with regards to fingerprinting."

"We Britons" think you're a lamb shank.

Glad to see this turn into the typical sanctimonious whining from some of our British friends about fingerprints and photographs in the US. Were they equally up in arms about Japan, Korea, or Thailand, then perhaps I would take it as something other than reflexive whining about the US.

Frankly, it is sad. I can't imagine being from a country so uncomfortable in its own skin, that the entire national identity seems wrapped up in being "not-American".

No it's just that walkinaround has an interesting angle on the truth and (s)he needs to be corrected

Of course the reason for the tighting of security was due to 9/11. Guess the Brits have forgotten, we hanen't.

Perhaps we could mention the British surveillance cameras all over the place?

Oh dear, why does a simple, reasonable request for help have to end up in yet another Transatlantic slanging match?

Control yourselves.

Hooameye were you happy with last night's result ?

Walkin, do you like anything about the UK? It seems you do not like living there.

jamikins and walkinaround - Yes, these are the new rules. I think it is nuts too. They aren't asking for these letters from everyone, but some are being turned back if they are asked and don't have them. I was just asked a bunch of questions, which I guess satisfied the border agent. A colleague wasn't asked hardly anything. No one asked either of us for the letters - we entered through Toronto.

Several people from my company are in Vancouver this week for a conference - the first we heard of this new requirement was when we got an email from the conference host with the letter of invitation attached. I am interested to know how many had to produce the letters and how many were let in without them. I am also interested to know whether this new requirement will affect Canada's conference and convention business.

Here's the link from the Canadian citizenship and immigration site:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/b...s-arriving.asp

That's interesting, november_moon - the link doesn't sound like you have to have a letter if you're just attending a conference (rather than doing work). If I were reading it without any other information, at least, I wouldn't interpret it that way. But I went to a conference in Vancouver in August, and our registration packet included a letter like the one you describe. I didn't have one from my university, though, and was never asked for either.

(I was, however, made to smile by the US customs agent in Toronto who was convinced that I have dimples in my passport photo. For the record, I have never in my life had dimples.)