Short News

For the first time - tickets to the Olympic Games via internet

The organizational committee in Salt Lake City will be the first in Olympic history to sell tickets via the internet. Until December 12 you can still order your tickets for the games. The website is also the official internet address for the games. Here you will find information about all disciplines, the times and places are listed in a table.

Find the website on www.SaltLake2002.com.

"S" on the boarding pass means security check?

You can find out during the flight whether you will be especially checked at the US borders if you are using one of the US airlines. If you have an "S" on your boarding pass (usually in front of your name) your luggage will probably be examined in detail, according to the renowned Wall Street Journal. This means the "S" stands for Security Check. Mostly this would apply to persons who have only purchased a one-way ticket, but often it is also just a random selection. The random selection system is not all that new, but as a consequence of tightened security - we reported about this - it is apparently being used more frequently now. In Germany no such system exists as of yet, but luggage for flights to the US would be checked manually one hundred percent, according to a spokesman of one border security office.

Longer visa processing for citizens of Islamic countries

Citizens of some Islamic countries have to be prepared for significantly longer processing times of their non-immigration visas. According to an order by the US State Department, processing times for all male applicants between 16 and 45 will be extended by a maximum of 20 days, which is important especially for short-notice business trips. Citizens of these countries usually need visas, even if they no longer live in their home country and are married to German citizen. In addition, a special form must be filled out now, including questions about military service, possible arms training and former trips. We can provide you with the list of the affected countries and information about the visa applications any time upon request.

US mailman under suspicion filled mailboxes - instead of emptying them

US federal agencies suspect Mohammed Ullah, a Bangladeshi by birth, of having submitted hundreds of forged visa applications for the green card lottery by order of his cousin. Ullah, who works as a mailman, was caught when he tried to fill a mailbox with the pile of letters - instead of emptying it. This raised suspicions and when he was searched, officials found 185 lottery applications in his bag. 147 more, which he had already sent out, were confiscated.

A bad joke - and its consequences

In our last newsletter we wrote about the arrest of a woman from Berlin who had run into trouble with officials of US immigration. On October 10 she had made a joke at the airport in Alexandria, after her carry-on luggage had been searched several times. In an irritated manner she told the officials that there was a bomb in her bag. And was arrested immediately. The US court at which she had to appear recently showed no mercy. It sentenced to woman who runs a café in the department of foreign affairs to two years in prison. However, she does not have to stay in the US for this, on the contrary, she was deported from the country.

This was probably the last time she joked in the US, because she won't be re-admitted into the country any time soon.