3 ms·

I remember a friend asking me if I could check the visa application process to the U.S. because he didn't really understand. The form was DS 160, if I recall.

I remember a friend asking me if I could check the visa application process to the U.S. because he didn't really understand. The form was DS 160, if I recall. Here is a sample: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/jamaica/231771/PDFs/DS-160%20Instructions.pdf http://photos.state.gov/libraries/jamaica/231771/PDFs/DS-160... Some questions from page 38: "Are you coming to the United States to engage in prostitution or unlawful commercialized vice or have you been engaged in prostitution or procuring prostitutes within the last 10 years?" "Do you seek to engage in espionage, sabotage, export control violations, or any other illegal activity while in the United States?" "Do you seek to engage in terrorist activities while in the United States or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities?" I mean, I'm sure there's a rationale behind these questions.. maybe in a "plausible deniability" way.. but they're funny. The problem is that sometimes, one cannot know if they violated a law. There was a video of a lawyer asking people not to talk to the cops where he addressed this point.

koenigdavidmj 10y ago
It's so if they have a good reason to investigate you enough, and any of these is false, they can charge you with perjury even if they can't get anything else to stick.
- Jugurtha 10y ago
  That's why I added the remark on the possibility of being unaware you even committed the deed. Here's the video of the lawyer about this issue: https://youtu.be/6wXkI4t7nuc?t=5m46s https://youtu.be/6wXkI4t7nuc?t=5m46s The video is worth watching from beginning to end. The second part includes the cop's perspective.
pekk 10y ago
Why doesn't anyone ever think of the pimps, spies and terrorists who want to comfortably practice their trades in the US without being warned that the US is not keen on such activity?
ArkyBeagle 10y ago
There's a Zappa piece from "Yellow Shark" about this - "Welcome to the United States."
userbinator 10y ago
The first one is particularly puzzling, given that prostitution is not completely illegal throughout the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_the_United_Sta...
- Jugurtha 10y ago
  They might turn them into the best thing since sliced bread... multiple choice questions. I wonder what would be the perfect visa application form and if there can be a universal visa form? If the powers that be could agree on a set of information every country needs and you could autofill it with your browser, or have a profile on the website of an international entity that mediates that.
shabble 10y ago
The best part of those questions is the screenshot on page 39, with the "EXPLAIN" textfield. I'm struggling to think of any explanation one might offer that would do any good whatsoever (although I realise that isn't their primary intent) Seems like they don't have the Moral Turpitude[1] question on there though. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_turpitude https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_turpitude
zaatar 10y ago
Lying on DS-160 was the reason the Feds managed to initially arrest 9/11 attacker Zacarias Moussaoui [1]. It is significantly easier for cops to prove you lied to the US Government and detain/deport/ban you from entry if you're an alien than to try to prove criminal intent, etc. and that's why DS-160 has all those seemingly weird questions. [1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacarias_Moussaoui#Capture> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacarias_Moussaoui#Capture>
- undersuit 10y ago
  >Lying on DS-160 was the reason the Feds managed to initially arrest 9/11 attacker Zacarias Moussaoui. "Because it was clear at that point that Moussaoui was in the country illegally, the INS agents arrested him."[1] [1] <https://oig.justice.gov/special/s0606/chapter4.htm> https://oig.justice.gov/special/s0606/chapter4.htm> Yes lying on the DS-160 is probably a reason to arrest Zacarias, but that is not what happened.

koenigdavidmj 10y ago

It's so if they have a good reason to investigate you enough, and any of these is false, they can charge you with perjury even if they can't get anything else to stick.

Jugurtha 10y ago
That's why I added the remark on the possibility of being unaware you even committed the deed. Here's the video of the lawyer about this issue: https://youtu.be/6wXkI4t7nuc?t=5m46s https://youtu.be/6wXkI4t7nuc?t=5m46s The video is worth watching from beginning to end. The second part includes the cop's perspective.

pekk 10y ago

Why doesn't anyone ever think of the pimps, spies and terrorists who want to comfortably practice their trades in the US without being warned that the US is not keen on such activity?

ArkyBeagle 10y ago

There's a Zappa piece from "Yellow Shark" about this - "Welcome to the United States."

userbinator 10y ago

The first one is particularly puzzling, given that prostitution is not completely illegal throughout the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_the_United_Sta...

Jugurtha 10y ago
They might turn them into the best thing since sliced bread... multiple choice questions. I wonder what would be the perfect visa application form and if there can be a universal visa form? If the powers that be could agree on a set of information every country needs and you could autofill it with your browser, or have a profile on the website of an international entity that mediates that.

shabble 10y ago

The best part of those questions is the screenshot on page 39, with the "EXPLAIN" textfield. I'm struggling to think of any explanation one might offer that would do any good whatsoever (although I realise that isn't their primary intent) Seems like they don't have the Moral Turpitude[1] question on there though. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_turpitude https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_turpitude

zaatar 10y ago

Lying on DS-160 was the reason the Feds managed to initially arrest 9/11 attacker Zacarias Moussaoui [1]. It is significantly easier for cops to prove you lied to the US Government and detain/deport/ban you from entry if you're an alien than to try to prove criminal intent, etc. and that's why DS-160 has all those seemingly weird questions. [1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacarias_Moussaoui#Capture> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacarias_Moussaoui#Capture>

undersuit 10y ago
>Lying on DS-160 was the reason the Feds managed to initially arrest 9/11 attacker Zacarias Moussaoui. "Because it was clear at that point that Moussaoui was in the country illegally, the INS agents arrested him."[1] [1] <https://oig.justice.gov/special/s0606/chapter4.htm> https://oig.justice.gov/special/s0606/chapter4.htm> Yes lying on the DS-160 is probably a reason to arrest Zacarias, but that is not what happened.