Quote from: kano on February 08, 2013, 09:08:43 AM

Quote from: SellingMyGPUs on February 08, 2013, 08:49:09 AM

Quote from: kano on February 07, 2013, 12:51:23 PM

I've got my plane tickets to BFL - Kansas City today (email booked digital ticket details from the travel agent) arranged by Josh
So my flight to the USA, leaving Sydney on the 17th Feb (my time) - to be back here in Aus again on the 23rd.

Great, let's start posting more details like your real name and flight numbers so Echelon can pick it up.

So you have received a free (cattle class?) flight by a guy you never met in real life but know from the Internets.
You are a software developer who made significant contributions to Bitcoin, a crypto currency used by people who want to escape the fiat currency and who are interested in privacy and don't like the government monetary policies. Let's not forget money laundering and illegal gambling. Let's not mention Silk Road and controlled substances legislation (I guess sports people in .au must be big fans of SR)

The company who invites you (Butterfly Labs Inc. - Bitcoin Mining Hardware - ASIC Bitcoin Miner) to come over is paying for your flight and your hotel. Do you already know what hotel you are staying in, immigration will ask. The said company is release a spiffing new piece of crypto hardware they hope to export out of the USA. They want you to write various articles to promote the product by endorsing it's existence and perhaps add some more software support.

Surely this is not a vacation trip but something a bit harder to explain to immigration. I see plenty of red flags going up, starting with the fact they paid for your trip (and they know that before you get onto the plane), you work in the field they are active in and you'll probably travel with the tools of your trade like a laptop.

Don't you need an H-1B?

I got hassled so many times by US immigration it's no longer funny, a lot of times because some of the red flags stated above. (The only time I did not get any trouble was when I flew into Vegas and the only thing I muttered was 'gambling and hookers')

Don't be a jerk to the CBP officers.. "Yes Sir"... "No Sir"... etc

Have fun! ;-)

(feel free to add more search words to this thread to make it an interesting visit)

Well I've been to the US 4 times before ... though the last 2 were in 2000, for a US company I was working for over the net from Aus.
Never been hassled in the US - though of course since 9/11 things have changed.

... and I already have a visa ... that was weird - as soon as it's processed the payment on the US government website it replies that you have your visa.
I do of course have the address where I'm staying and typed that on the visa application.

I'll tell you all about anything interesting getting through customs when I get back

I've travelled to many countries including china long ago, a lot of europe and england twice, my second US visit covered many states - I'm not one to be concerned about such stuff at all.
The most interesting part may be the fact that I carry drugs on myself (insulin) and the needle tips for the pens ... and have for almost 30 years.

P.S. you can look up my real name easily enough Tongue

And if you change your mind and don't want to visit Kansas to pet a chicken, simply tell the TSA guys that you know (Doctor) Nefario and don't have any cash with you--only 1000 bitcoins on a thumbdrive.