You have to ask youself who in their right mind is going to lend you a plane without first checking you can fly it... the easiest way for them to do this is to make you sit a BFR, as you get to show them a little bit of what you can do. as for the legal side, i don't really know, you could try banging you fist on the desk shouting 'i'm british', but i have found that this rarely works. the BFR is hardly hard work, and doesn't cost the earth.. just do it and enjoy the flying.. the USA is a wonderful place to fly. hope you have a good time.