US Customs messing with the wedding!

GAH! So half of our guests are international... well US Customs requires everyone (especially certain nations) to do a TON of paperwork, present hotel confirmation forms, copies of invitations, flight itineraries, etc etc this is totally absurd, far worse than it used to be. "Homeland security" my foot, what a bunch of rubbish to keep people up in arms, pliable and kill lots of trees. Anyhow, just fyi make sure if you have guests coming from abroad they start their paperwork six months in advance!

Off to handwrite 20 some letters of invitation to accompany the actual invitation to various US Embassies, bah.

yeah i was hit with that gem too since some of my fam is from asia - it's so annoying no??? why do they need personal letters and copies of invites?? ugh!!

Wow! Holy crap! We have a bunch of guests coming from China and Hong Kong - thanks for the heads up!

Yup China, Egypt and UAE are where we are having the most annoying cases! I'm glad someone else is going through this really really annoying process!! The UK was easy as well as France...well easier.

Champagne, I am so with you!!! I am so bitter about this whole process of getting a US visa and filling out all the paperwork and the consulate treating you like you're a threat to them...I've had to write a number of invitations too and every time I have to prove that my guests won't stay in the US and they have a good record of returning from trips abroad. Seriously! Why would they stay when they all have successful careers and families at home????

On a slightly different but related note: My mother arrived a month before the wedding so that she can attend my sister's Ph.D. graduation, and they stopped her at Customs and inspected every bit of her luggage - she had a lot of wedding related stuff (presents for the in laws, favors, a possible veil for me and what not) and they opened every single item she had, kept her for a long time and eventually let her go because they couldn't find anything wrong with what she was bringing. But how humiliating!

Yep lots of guest from all over Europe and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria) ahhh at least the Mexico and Canada people are ok. :) Europe is ok but I'm having issues with Brazil and Bulgaria! Ahhh so international!

Paperwork--ugh! I hope everything goes through!

welcome to the lives of people who've been going through this even before "Homeland Security". They started doing this to all incoming Colombian (and all Latin American) visitors lonngg ago. It all feels very insulting but what can we do? They have good intentions. So just give yourselves time, your proof and diligence will get you what you need to have your guests come to America for your wedding :) And if you have a friend or family who works in those embassies or consulates, it'll speed things up. ;) good luck hang in there!

My hubby is Scottish so we don't have to worry about visas for most of his guests (due to the UK visa waiver program) but his Best Man has a visa issue and now can't come!!! It's such a shame. International weddings are so difficult!!!

Good luck!And at least you are starting early enough for your guests to file the paperwork!!!

xoxo

JustAnother,
I am sorry to hear there are problems with Bulgaria! I am Bulgarian and had Bulgarian family come to the wedding so I know how it is. Let me know if you have any questions (you can send me a message) about dealing with the US Consulate in Bulgaria.