Trainning provider despair!!!!

[FRIDAY]

WHY can't I get consistent and reliable answers to my questions from certain FTO's.
I know at the moment there are numerous problems in relation to europeans going stateside to train and getting visa's to do so but surely the FTO's can give you a straight answer. I've been on to a few FTO's over the last week, some who offer european training and some who don't, and not one of them had the same facts or replies to my questions regarding visa's, I know that policies are changing regarding security checks and the like but why can't they just say that.
I spoke to one particular FTO on monday and was told I now do not need a visa when I go over to get JAA ppl and some hrs because the faa don't recognise the european courses as pro training so an explanation to INS that you are just doing recreational flying is sufficient, the same FTO but different person told me about a month ago I need a visa (has it changed again).
I am pretty sure I will not even attempt going over without the proper visa (recreational or not). I want to go get some hrs, return to uk get groundschool done and then hope to gain a J1 visa for instructors job back in us. I am considering doing jaa ppl and hrs and jaa atpl's and then apply for a full (FAA part 141 pro course)that offers J1 (OFFICIALLY) and not kinda offer although I would prefer to just convert from my Jaa licences, is this a good idea ?? IDEALLY I want to do it with the same school and I am holding my breath for 1 particular school to get J1 visa to solve my problems.
Am I the only one encountering these problems, and they always seem to multiply the closer you get to the time I go! AI-ai-ai

[Gin Slinger]

I bet the FTO's that say you don't need to visa to train in the States are the ones who don't have authorisation to 'issue' then.

I heard recently that Cabair had a load of students turned away when they tried to get to OFT.

Beware!

[psmerdon]

At a recent INS (immigration) meeting with FBI it was considered that the USA is "at war" so you should realise that security is the paramount concern. In fact there was a security notice issued today re-emphasising the security measures for GA traffic.
However it is possible to undertake genuine flight training on an M1 orJ1 visa. The catch is that these are issued for one year or two year periods respectively for genuine training only. Futher caveats to the J1 visa is that it wil only be issued to ab initio students or those with 50 hours or less with no greater than a ppl (but does give the opportunity to "work). You would be expected to stay for a reasonable period of the visa (say 3 months of the M1).
Other rcecent changes are that a FSDO can no longer issue
a FAA licence on the basis of a "foreign" licence without a lenghty 60 day validation process, which for the UK may be longer as the CAA have pointed out the large numbers of validations that they may have to process, on the other hand you can simply take the FAA written and flight test if you have the necessary flight hours. You should not turn up at immigration on your way into the USA on the visa waiver programme intending to do flight training, hours building or even just local flying as you will be turned straight back if your intentions are dicovered. Like most things it is not impossible to fly as you can still do a dicovery flight with a US instructor if you just want to look around from the air, though a reputable school may carry out some fairly thorough checks on you.