Kiwi tourist detained as Kazakhstan officials say New Zealand is not a country

news.com.au ^ | 12/05/2016 | Lauren McMah

[dfwgator]

Why would anyone choose Kazakhstan over New Zealand?

Because they have the "Running of the Jew."

[Mashood]

I have to agree with the Kazakhstani on this one...New Zealanders are not to be trusted. They are a secretive bunch and in all probability, a state of Australia.

[bus man]

The real question is why any woman from a First World country would want to visit any of the ‘stans.

[dfwgator]

[ASA Vet]

The only immigration snafu I've experienced was in Bangkok. When I was leaving country, the officer said I'd overstayed my 30 day visa and had to pay a fine. Rather than argue with a low level drone, I asked to speak to his supervisor.

The supervisor had a brain, so when I showed him my entry date was only 20 days earlier he rightly stated his officer at entry must have stamped the wrong "departure by" date. He stamped my passport for departure and no fine was paid.

Most likely the wrong departure date wasn't an accident but rather a scam to collect fines from travelers who would rather just pay in order to avoid further hassles. Why would an immigration officer at an entry point have a rubber stamp set up with an incorrect date if not to collect improper fines?

[ExpatCanuck]

My grandfather used to enjoy telling a story of when he went to Australia in the 60s and was asked at customs if he had a criminal record. He responded ‘Is that still a requirement?’.

[ASA Vet]

Not to be an “ass” but last time I checked, Amsterdam was a city in Nederlands, not a country.

[par4]

Unfortunately, I can all too easily conceive of this happening at a US port of entry.

Saw something similar back in the 90's when I was traveling to Red China from Hong Kong. A woman on our boat was from Lichtenstein and had a real fun time at customs, apparently the officials had never heard of Lichtenstein. Took about a half an hour to straighten out.

[T-Bone Texan]

Yesh I figured. I was young then and was there mostly to go to museums and smoke pot.

Which I did.

[hanamizu]

I believe it was someone from New Mexico trying to buy tickets to the Atlanta Olympics. The ticket seller said something like “New Mexico, Old Mexico, it doesn’t matter, I can only sell tickets to Americans.”

[bert]

Yep.... that’s it

[FreedomPoster]

You two are on the same page, and can’t say I disagree.

[AlaskaErik]

I've been to Almaty twice. Once, to take back three Gitmo detainees and a second time to transport a group of Kazakh soldiers to Afghanistan. The one thing I remember is the huge wheel hats that were worn by the Kazakh officials who met us at the plane. They must have been 18 inches in diameter.

[FreedomPoster]

That’s funny right there! I think I’d like him!

[bgill]

Anyone tourist heading to Kazakhstan gets what they deserve.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

Eventually, with the help of contacts in Kazakhstan, Ms Phillips was able to secure a new visa, a US passport and an exchange of cash that allowed her to escape detention and enter the country, where she ended up staying for six months.

Does this mean she can now come here, register and vote in our elections?

There's something fishy about this story. The NZ Honorary Consul in Khazakstan is located at 247 Rozybakiev Street,Bostandyk District 050060, Almaty, Almaty City. They don't have a phone number listed, just an e-mail address. She should have been able to call +7 495 956 3579, the NZ embassy in Moscow, for assistance. This is the sort of informatoin one should keep on their smart phone and written in an address book when traveling to excrement pit countries.

[kearnyirish2]

I agree; they are too liberal to be left unsupervised. They are heretofore to be referred to as “East Australia”; they make the liberal Aussies look like Pat Buchanan.

I’d also accept “West Fiji”, or “South(?) Christmas Islands”...

[GreyFriar]

Yes.....or kolumbarium ;-)

[Vaquero]

Special 70gm New Zealand coin

[Verginius Rufus]

I recall a column a long time ago by Ann Landers or Dear Abby, about someone in New Mexico applying for admission to the University of Texas and being told they had to use the form for people applying from a foreign country.

Once I was entering the US from Canada at Buffalo and showed my US identification (may have been a driver's license rather than passport because this was before 9/11), and was asked, "What is the purpose of your visit to the United States?" I told them I was going to visit cousins in Buffalo.