Entry restrictions gone crazy

Happens to people going to the US all the time, often it seems on the whim of a boarder guard, and no appeal possible.

Now my question is after reading it does immigration have a special stamp they use to note someone has been rejected? I'm sure it's in a computer but the way it was written said her new passport status as a reject, sorry to paraphrase I tried to go back to use the wording used but now the site is asking for a password. Now her being denied for a specific reason, playing music it one thing, but if she returns without her cello, says she is a tourist I wonder what her chances are of getting into the country?

At least for the U.S., nonadmissible isn't considered even a parking ticket. Some people are turned around for things like publicly advocating illegal activity (drugs, overthrow of the government, etc.). They will have problems ever entering the country. Some appear to be coming to the country to work, which is a no-no without a work visa. Many just don't have the correct forms to enter, or have an issue that has to be addressed before they can enter - yes a huge downer if you've just flown all the way from another continent and have to go back. The new ESTA system and airlines try to keep this from happening but, with about one million people entering the U.S. every day, there are always some who aren't allowed to enter. If I was worried about my own admissibility, I'd probably apply for a visa rather than travel under a visa waiver. If I'm not going to be admitted, I'd rather find out before I travel. You're much less likely to be non-admittted if you have already applied for and received a visa.

Hey don't even get me started on the "No Fly List" which will totally ruin people who happen to have same names with people that should be on the list,, try being rejected for that,,

Hey Paul, After seeing your post, I read the new U.K. Home Office policies. Amazing! It is so obtuse, that it can be interpreted in hundreds of different ways. And now no way to appeal, they don't have to let you know why you are being turned away, no reparations for lost time and money, and the the banned list will no longer be made public. And I thought the U.S. was bad. I can see Louis Farrakhan, Omar bin Laden, Martha Stewart, etc, etc, being turned away, but Don Francisco? More governmental attempts to deceive, inveigle, and obfuscate. (wow, e before i twice?)
But being from Scotland originally has taught me many constants about the U.K. The movie "Braveheart" was banned for awhile. And take a look at the U.K. banned book list. Some pretty strange choices. Just business as usual.

I can remember an incident that was widely reported here in Australia when an Australian TV personality went to the US to interview a pop star. However he did not have a work visa, and he entering as a tourist, so he was sent on the next flight home. This man (who is well known over here) returned to the US the next week with the correct visa and was let through. Apparently all the other Australians present and waiting in line gave him an ironic cheer. Of course this was all his own fault, but it does show that if someone gets rejected, they are still able to go back to the US with the correct paper work.

I attend a week church retreat every summer on Hood Canal in Washington State. Folks come from WA, OR, and BC. One chap coming from BC was questioned by the folks guarding our country at the border and was asked what he would be doing at the retreat. He mentioned, among other activities, that he would be leading a tie-dye workshop with no pay but as a volunteer. The person guarding our country at the border said he could not enter the US since he had no visa to do that kind of activity. It took the intervention of a US Senator to allow the fellow to come to camp. And this is a good example why so many folks I know in Washington no longer go up to BC due to the fact of the behavior of the folks guarding our country at the border.

@Crash I'd be interested to see the UK banned books list you speak about, it sounds very interesting. Strangely as a UK resident I've never heard of this and my internet searches are coming up blank. I'm sure you could supply a link - thanks in advance! (Interestingly the first result for "UK banned book list" on google is an article about the most banned books in US public libraries.) Also some more information about Braveheart being banned would be interesting too. In general these things cut both ways. How many posters here get angry they can't just move to 'Europe' for 6 months visa free? Or plan to telecommute back to the USA without a working visa (because apparently it's not work if you get paid in dollars.)

I know some might want to stonewall me, but I agree that laws should apply to anyone. As much annoying as it might appear, at least it is democratic that tourist visas are meant for tourism, not temporary residence, nor work. The volunteer/free of charge work loophole once existed and was once explored, intensely, by concealed illegal immigrants who used to go to UK, US, Canada etc. disguised as "volunteers" who'd then be paid under the table. It is practically impossible to enforce regulation of what is volunteer work once the person is within the country, after all, there is no Gestapo or North Korea-style secret police following foreigners every step of their way! UK is home to many festivals that attract an underground/alternative scene crowd and musicians. Though it might look "harmless" to let college-aged musicians to showcase their work in UK festivals sleeping in other's people couches and on their own money, it is still work. There is a relatively easy to obtain visa for that. The caveat is that festival organizers in UK don't have the manpower or even knowledge of how to apply for visas on behalf of their invitees from America (or elsewhere), and they just grew ill used to have people cheating on tourist visas. UK has a serious illegal immigration problem, worse than that of US, and every possible loophole had been explored by illegal immigrants, from bogus language schools that colluded to offer fake courses so students could get work-study permits without any intention of studying to bogus volunteer associations used by people in Asia to come live with their relatives in UK). Ultimately, it is the responsibility of those travelling to ensure they have the right "papers". There is no worldwide free right to travel, nor shall there be in my lifetime.

Peter, Sorry. Not banned. It's the "Books Illegal to Disseminate List." Kitty Kelly's book, "The Royals", Michael Moore's book, "Stupid White Men", the book, "Blair", numerous books by SAS members, books by MI5 members, books by MI6 members, books by Home Office employees, books by Foreign Office employees, and ANY book showing Rupert Murdoch in a bad light. So the answer is- no, there is no list of books which are banned from being in your possession in Britain, but obtaining a number of books can be difficult and writing books about some subjects can fall afoul of the Crown's draconian Official Secrets Act, which are not overridden by any real right to Freedom of Speech. Friends in the U.K. have had books shipped to France, then sent to the U.K. I have to say in fairness, that the same restrictions of freedom happen every day here in the U.S. Didn't mean to fluff your feathers. And bye the bye, I still love going to London.

Feathers not ruffled, just confused. The Kitty Kelly book, all Michael Moore's books and tonnes of books about Murdoch are available in the UK. 30 seconds on amazon.co.uk will confirm. And I'm still not sure when you think 'Braveheart' was banned in the UK? TBH I think either you are very misinformed about the UK or, more likely, I have been successfully trolled. Which is mainly why I posted because the crowd here can be quite credulous (ex. Rick's Badger Baiting article) and I wanted to set the record straight.