Re-entry to the USA 2026 Version

Smooth Re-entry to the U.S.

 

Re-entry to U.S 2026 Version

https://wp.me/p7NAzO-4cb

 

 

Re-entry to the US – Big Improvements

Re-entry to the U.S.  2026 Version: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (2026 Update)

Re-entry to the U.S.  2026 Version: Coming back into the United States after time abroad always gives me a kind of forced perspective. You’re tired, you’re processing logistics, and yet—you’re also seeing things more clearly than usual.

This trip back from Korea felt like a good moment to take stock: what’s improving, what isn’t, and what still feels fundamentally off.

The Good: Re-entry Is Finally Improving

The biggest surprise: re-entry into the U.S. is getting easier.

For American citizens in particular, the process is noticeably smoother than it used to be. There’s less friction, fewer bottlenecks, and a general sense that things are moving in the right direction. It was even better than on my trip last fall. See

Return to the US -Reflections
Returning to California

Note: Entry into and departure from Korea have also improved tremendously.

One change I’m planning to take advantage of on my next trip is the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app, run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection:

👉 Mobile Passport Control (official CBP page)

At a high level, MPC lets you:

• Submit your passport details and customs declaration through your phone
• Skip paper forms entirely
• Use a designated, often shorter line at customs
• Potentially reduce overall wait times (cbp.gov)

It’s free, doesn’t require pre-approval, and is available at most major U.S. airports to eligible travelers (help.cbp.gov).

👉 In other words: a practical, low-friction improvement.

Grade: A for Americans, C or D for foreign visitors, F for trans people

Big Caveat

This only applies to U.S. citizens. Foreign visitors report a very different and largely negative experience, with many being denied entry for reasons that may seem trivial. Reports include travelers being questioned about satirical political content on their phones or computers, or being denied entry because they lacked a confirmed hotel reservation. Simply intending to book accommodations upon arrival may now trigger additional scrutiny. The current system appears to apply a zero-tolerance approach to visa violations or discrepancies, and arguing with an immigration officer generally makes matters worse.

Free speech protections do not necessarily extend to foreign visitors or lawful permanent residents. In addition, many countries remain under total or partial travel restrictions, with some lacking functioning visa services as a result. Trans people also face a particularly hostile reception, as current federal policy recognizes only two sexes assigned at birth for many legal and administrative purposes.

Airports: Slowly, Unevenly Getting Better

There’s visible progress in U.S. airport infrastructure—nothing dramatic, but enough to notice.

Things are functioning a bit more efficiently. Not world-class yet, but improved.  DCA/Dulles have seen significant improvements as have SF and Seattle.

Overall Rating: B

 

• Air Premia, a Korean value-oriented carrier direct flight from Incheon to Dulles – A review

Overall Rating C

Air Premia info

air premia wifi

29 dollars for full internet access seems excessive especially in light of their substandard ein-flight entertainment options.

✅ Positive

• Boeing Dreamliner aircraft
• Comfortable seats
• Competent staff
• Direct flight to Dulles—worth flying again for that reason
• Part of the Korean Air fleet, but no Korean Air miles are given.

❌ Negative

• Entertainment was way below global standards
  • Only K-dramas and a limited selection of content
  • Lacked variety (no international content, music, news, games, or online lectures), all of which are standard offerings on most international flights. This was a significant drawback.
• Public announcements were difficult to hear
  • English announcements were inconsistent or occasionally absent
• Beverage selection was extremely limited
  • Coffee and water only
• Food options consisted exclusively of Korean-style meals

👉 Overall: adequate but disappointing—not up to global expectations.

Perfectly functional, but if you’re expecting the standard international long-haul experience, it falls short.

It didn’t feel hostile—just minimal.

 

Grade: B

Restaurant and Food Choices: B

American restaurant options in most major metropolitan areas are outstanding, with cuisine from virtually every corner of the world. Some establishments are world-class; most are good, though not exceptional. The biggest drawback is cost—prices are high, tipping expectations are excessive, and taxes add further expense.

Groceries are widely available and generally of good quality by international standards, but they remain expensive. Some cities are particularly strong food destinations, including Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Houston, and Los Angeles.

Sheraton Old Town Suites: C (Overrated)

✅ Positive

• Comfortable rooms
• Decent service
• Outstanding gym one of the best hotel gyms I have experienced! no pool or sauna though.

❌ Negative

• Dated in-room coffee service with a distinctly 1970s feel. Why not provide a K-cup-style machine?
• When housekeeping refreshed the coffee supplies on the second day, they forgot the decaf coffee.
• The desk clerk gave us inaccurate directions. She stated that the King Street Metro station was five blocks away; in reality, it was closer to twenty-five blocks. Braddock Road Metro was only five blocks away, and that information would have been much more useful. We walked to the station when we checked out; it was a pleasant enough walk.
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• The television service also felt outdated, again had a 1970’s feeling to it.

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• • The channel guide failed to indicate that Fox was broadcasting the World Cup. Instead, it simply displayed “program information not available.”
  • News options were limited to Fox, CNN, CNBC, ABC, NBC, and CBS.
  • No Bloomberg, BBC, HGTV, or Food Network.

• Parking was expensive at $37 per night, though some nearby hotels charge even more.
• Breakfast was adequate. We did not try dinner.
• All hotel information was provided through a QR code that guests had to access. We did not use it.
• A simple printed map showing nearby businesses, such as the Harris Teeter next door, would have been useful.
• Carpets appeared worn and dated.
• Most restaurants are clustered along King Street, about five blocks away. Only a few dining options are located near the hotel itself.

Would I stay here again?

Maybe, depending on the promotional rate being offered. Otherwise, probably not, for the reasons listed above.

Sheraton old town suites

 

About Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria

In Alexandria (Old Town North) A stay at Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria places you in the heart of Alexandria, a 2-minute drive from John Carlyle House and 9 minutes from Washington Monument. This hotel is 6.3 mi (10.1 km) from Arlington National Cemetery and 6.3 mi (10.1 km) from National Air and Space Museum. Make yourself at home in one of the 247 guestrooms featuring refrigerators and flat-screen televisions. Satellite programming and video-game consoles are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and desks. Enjoy a meal at the restaurant, or stay in and take advantage of the hotel’s room service (during limited hours). Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at the bar/lounge. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available daily from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee.

Amenities

• 24-hour fitness facilities
• 24-hour front desk
• ATM/banking
• All property’s electricity comes from renewable sources
• Assistive listening devices available
• Assistive listening devices in meeting rooms
• At least 80% of all lighting comes from LEDs
• Ballroom
• Banquet hall
• Biodegradable/compostable stirrers
• Biodegradable/compostable straws
• Braille or raised signage
• Breakfast available (surcharge)
• Business center
• Caters to LGBTQ guests
• Change of bed sheets (on request)
• Change of towels (on request)
• Check In: 4:00 PM – anytime
• Check Out: 12:00 PM
• Comprehensive food waste policy
• Comprehensive recycling policy

The Bad: Public Transportation

Public transportation in the U.S. remains inadequate.

There have been some improvements:

• Restrooms have finally been added in places such as Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., though often only upon request and not as readily available as they are in many Asian transit systems.
• A step forward—but something that should have existed from the beginning.

👉 Grade: C or D overall

B- for Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C. (including nearby suburbs), and Philadelphia.

The Ugly: The Political Atmosphere

US President Donald Trump speaks about 5G network deployment in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 12, 2019. (Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP) (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

There’s also a persistent concern about corruption at high levels—whether real, perceived, or some combination of the two.

The overall atmosphere does not feel especially stable in tone or direction.

Grade: D

The national political discourse suffers from too much:

• Performance politics
• Blame-shifting
• Visible corruption at high levels
• Politicians putting party before country
• Treating compromise as a sign of weakness
• Not at all focused on the real issues facing most Americans, health care, transportation costs and housing costs, and fear of AI and robots eliminating millions of jobs.
• Too much attention is paid to wedge cultural warfare issues.
• Extreme gerrymandering, which encourages many politicians to cater primarily to their most committed supporters rather than engaging a broader electorate.
• Public disengagement, with too few people participating because they feel disconnected from politics.

Final Thoughts: A Country of Uneven Progress

What struck me most on this return is not that things are bad—it’s that they are uneven.

• Border entry: improving—very good for Americans, not nearly as good for foreign visitors
• Infrastructure: slowly catching up,
• Travel experience: inconsistent and expensive.
• Restaurant choices: diverse and sometimes world-class, but often overpriced.
• Public discourse: deteriorating
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• the End.
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