FFF,
Sorry if I was a bit harsh, but I hadn't had my first cup of coffee for the day. I've also just worked out my US Federal tax bill for 2002, which if I was to give to you in a salary payment would put you firmly in the UK 40% tax bracket
However I think my points are valid, and I reserve my sympathy for people with real problems.
I think it's great that foreign pilots come to the US and pump money into the economy via flying schools etc. I know of several who are very grateful for that extra income right now. I also think it's great that fellow pilots can appreciate what the US has to offer, and I am happy to subsidise that in my roundabout way. But, given what happened a year or so ago at the hands of foreign pilots, I don't think the extra FAA burden is that unreasonable. All they want you to do is
1) apply in advance so they can check to make sure that you actually have a pilots licence
2) ask you to turn up in person so they can make sure that you are who you say you are.
and there is always that measly two bucks
The FAA are far better at implementing reciprocal ICAO flight licencing issues than any other regulatory body in the world I can think of, including the UK CAA who are actually a lot better than the rest themselves.
For what it's worth, I was going to send you a $2 cheque when you first asked the question on another forum, but US "checks" have names and addreses on, and I like to remain anonymous so I can jump on people