north korea???
Syria???

I think they have other issues going on. and if they can train it only means they are in the elite and most likely got their $ illegally.

There is a little article here about Iran's first female triathlete. She lives in London I think, but it includes some of the visa troubles she had travelling to the ITU Worlds currently in Edmonton http://www.220triathlon.com/...-paperwork/9083.html She made it in the end I think.

ETA: Obviously I understand this is not the US, but thought it an interesting enough, real-life example to post.

as i mentioned in another thread, just yesterday i think, there were 400 participants in iran's national tri champs this year. 400! me, if i had the chance to travel to iran for a triathlon i might seriously consider it. of course, with my big mouth and opinionated ways i might never again travel back out. but here's one thing that it seems to me always proves out: there are very few if any countries were the people are just, as a group, bad. in fact people are, as a group, pretty much like people in my country.

we, clearly, in america, waaay overreact to threats. well, we underreact or we overreact. massive telephonic surveillance is an example of a gross overreaction. i therefore wonder if we overreact when it comes to a private citizen from iran or cuba coming here to race in a triathlon. i'd like to know.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Anyone with criminal record beyond the most minor things, people who admit past drug use, etc.

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2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

I'm in the very early stages of organizing a bike tour there. I'll let you know if it materializes. Probably 5+ years down the road, depending on the political climate.

It's somewhat difficult for people from non-wealthy countries to get visas to visit the US - they have to demonstrate that they are very unlikely to try to remain in the US for economic reasons.

How difficult depends on the the country and the person. A very wealthy business person from country X can get a visa more easily than a manual laborer, because it's assumed they are less likely to feel their circumstances could be improved by staying in the US.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

x2.

Also, good luck trying to fly south without crossing US air space!

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Long Chile was a silly place.

There is not a hard and fast rule. Instead, immigration authorities make an assessment of your illegal immigration risk. Generally speaking, the richer you are the lower your perceived risk, and the greater your chances of being granted entry.

Even being a European defence lawyer for someone on the banned list, who has been to court in Europe, might mean you can't get into the US.

Just book your flight to a Mexican border city and the rest is (apparently) easy.

Funny.

The U.S. Wrestling team has hosted iran's team.

Didn't Nigella Lawson have trouble getting into the US simply for admitting coke use a few times? She wasn't charged or convicted or anything!

My company does work around the country (little old New Zealand) and overseas quite often too. We have a couple of staff who can't work or holiday overseas for transgressions in their youth :-) New Zealand is great, but I wouldn't want to be stuck here! :-)

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"