Comments on: A Customs Question

By: :)

:) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:50:28 +0000

Carmen, I enjoyed you’re “don’t ask – don’t tell” approach

How long do you guys think should a person stay in a country (or how many visa runs) before the goverment or whatever start asking more questions? As a graphic designer I have a bit more stuff to haul around than, let’s say, a writer. So it would be nice to have a stationary place for longer periods of time. An idea I came across was to maybe go on a student visa or something which allows for a longer visa and lets you get more comfortable and you could learn something cool in the process – whether it be a new language or whatever. Could that work? Good idea, bad idea?

By: Carmen

Carmen — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:08:38 +0000

I usually find the “don’t ask – don’t tell” policy works best when traveling. Being location independent is not something that is commonly recognized yet and so mentioning anything anything about “working’ when entering a foreign country is sure to lead to more questions and possible trouble. It’s best just to say you are there for pleasure and not open the can of worms that can be easily misunderstood when crossing borders. Since most of us are continuing our work with clients who reside in our home countries we are not taking jobs from others in our country of destination nor burdening the destination country with a new foreigner who can’t support themselves. Basically we are earning money in our home country that is then spent in our destination. This is a winning situation for the destination country as well.

By: Thursday

Thursday — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:10:40 +0000

@Allena, I think part of the issue with visas comes with the U.S.’s relations with other countries, unfortunately. We have a relatively open border with Mexico — especially if you hold a U.S. citizenship. But I’ve been asked about my reasons for visiting a lot more in Europe and the Mediterranean.

By: allena

allena — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:08:23 +0000

I have never thought of a location-independent work visa…until then we all have to lie: Nahh I’m not going to be typing on my Blackberry in taxis, or retiring to my hotel room early to work on some articles. Not at all, officer.

On the other hand, I’ve never, as many times as I’ve dealt with customs, been asked that quetion. I must have an innocent, touristy face.

By: Thursday

Thursday — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:10:35 +0000

@Nicole, I think one of the best resources is the State Department (or the equivalent) of wherever you’re headed next. At the very least, they can tell you what you’re not supposed to do — and you can often find out if you can push the limits a little.

By: Nicole Nascenzi

Nicole Nascenzi — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:13:16 +0000

Hmm. A thought-provoking post seeing as I am a digital nomad several times a year. I would be ver interested to learn more about this as you or your readers find other resources.