This isn't so bad at all. In fact, I can't believe it is only one page.

First, listing all the foreign countries you have visited in the past 10 years is very easy: you open your passport and count the stamps.

As for the travel itinerary section, you only need to list the travel itinerary for your current trip into the United States. If you have planned a trip into the United States, you would probably have this information on hand. It is understandable that if the US is going to let you come live here, that you can prove you have a place to go or the means to put a roof over your head.

I had to give my entire itinerary including names and telephone numbers of places I was staying the last time I flew to England (2003), and I was only going on vacation, not asking to be a temporary resident. As Eurohugh could tell you, it isn't so easy to gain a visa in other countries either (England, Germany).

That being said, my congratulations to Carlos for obtaining his visa! I hope the paperwork headache was worth it. ; )

Getting Visas, permits, and legal documents is so much fun. It's also a good way to lose hair, start smoking (or signifigantly increase), and raise blood pressure.

I imagine it's a little bit harder to get that stuff in the U.S. because of all the naughty people that want them.

He hasnt gotten the visa yet, just his working permit.. obviously he has some paperwork to do for the visa ;)

I think 10 years of travel history is excessive. Particularly for business travelers. Its not just travel to foreign countries, its any "specific travel arrangements" according to the document. The stuff from your passport is easy, if they expect people to document every specific trip theyve taken that is getting out of hand.

I also thought it was odd that only men age 15-45 had to fill out this form, although all people from certain countries (iraq, iran, north korea, etc) had to fill it out. I guess women cant be terrorists unless they are from evil places ;)

You are confushing two very separate sections with eachother. The only thing that requires 10 years of travel history is part 9, which reads in full:

"9. List All Countries You have Entered in the Last Ten Years (Give the Year of Each Visit)"

There is nothing there asking you for anything more specific than that. Like I said, this is a simple copy job from your passport.

What you are confusing this with is part 18 regarding "Specific Travel Arrangements". This part is *completely separate* from part 9 and is not asking for 10 years of history. It is asking for your travel arrangements into the United States for the trip you are trying to get this Visa for. One itinerary for your current trip is all they are asking for: not a history of every trip you have taken.

Are you sure about that? Both Carlos and I took it to mean any specific travel arrangements. Why would it ask for a point of contact "at each location" if it wasnt referring to multiple trips? I guess it could be different parts of 1 trip into the US.

But, this isnt for a 1 time trip into the US - the visa is valid for an entire year.

Of course, we can always call the 900 number and get things cleared up. :)

I was reading about the form on some visa site and it talks about how if you are coming to the States on extended business that you need to have your interary in place for all the locations you will be visiting on the trip for section 18.

The wording of section 18 is just made to cover situations like that. If you are just coming to one city, it is all the easier to fill it out.

Don't fear the paperwork. ; )

and i didnt even have to call the 900 number... sweet. :)

Hey all...thought I'd stop by and weigh in on something for good measure.

My kudos to Carlos for actually attempting to go through the proper legal channels and get a visa. Millions don't even bother to attempt it. Sadly, despite lack of legal presence in the U.S., many of those can still get a driver's license or state ID (the 9/11 hijackers, many of whom had expired visas or none at all, had 63 valid state ID cards between the 19 of them). Many states are currently in the process of closing that loophole, no thanks to President Bush who opposed that requirement.

Anyway, the point is, I appreciate Carlos patience with a process who's security precautions are not particularly directed at his ethnic group. Those that truly oppose racial profiling should understand the need for these precautions no matter what the ethnicity.