So worried - visa waiver left in passport

daisiegg

headpin wrote: »

I've had this happen a few times. Just rip it out and throw it away. Remember it is the responsibility of the airline that you exit the US with to remove it and see it gets to wherever it may have to go. I'm not convinced that they are ever reconcilled anyway. I'm sure the airlines lose or mislay many of these and you'd never know. If anyone asks (and I'd wager a fairly large sum that they do not even query it) when you arrive at US immigration, just say that it was removed by the airline rep when you departed in 2009.

All this nonense about exiting the US previously is irrelevant. How are you arriving at SFO? I assume on a plane that departs from outside the US - i.e from the UK. So how the hell have you managed to get on that aircraft in the UK if you never exited the US in 2009? Not even the US Customs and Border Protection Officers are that stupid.

Rip out your old 2009 I94W counterpart and bin it. But, as stated above, make sure you have applied for and have received confirmation of travel by way of the ESTA system. You have not said yet that you have applied for and received the ESTA Authorisation. It cost $14 and lasts for 2 years so long as none of your details change in the interim, so you'd know whether or not you'd applied. In theory if you haven't received it the airline could refuse you boarding in the UK. If you haven't received it (and anyone else you are flying with also needs it assuming they meet the criteria and do not need a full VISA, in which case they are too late if you're off tomorrow) then get online now and apply. The Authorisation is normally instantaneous. BE CAREFUL that if you do need to apply you only go through the official US Site ( https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ ) and not one of the rip off agencies that will add a nice “little” service charge for checking what you've already completed. The ESTA site is straight forward and will highlight any errors you make. If you need help post back on here.

Enjoy your trip and stop worrying. There is a lot of tosh and scaremongering written about passing through US Immigration.

I think the point about proving I left the US is that I must prove that I left within the 90 days allowed on that visa waiver. Because in theory I could have stayed on illegally after the 90 days, got a job, and then come back to the UK a year later (for example) and now be trying to return again. I didn't, though!

Thanks for your reply - yes, I have done the ESTA and that is sorted and approved.

I'm sure I'm worrying needlessly but there are some pretty scary websites - including the official ones - that say unless you send off proof that you left the US within the allotted time you'll be denied entry!

lisaloo1977

Have had it happen on several occasions, both in mine and my sons it has never been a problem at all.

I really would not worry, you will be totally fine. Enjoy your holiday.

daisiegg

Thank you everyone! I feel much less worried now

ferf1223

I'm sure it happened to my husband once - when he arrived they tutted (and may have rolled their eyes) when they saw the green thingy in his passport, tore it out, stamped him back into the country and that was that.

jammin_2

daisiegg wrote: »

I have a stamp in my passport from travelling to Poland a month after my US trip.

What nationality are you?

bap98189

I suspect it happens fairly regularly. It happened to me when we went to South America. We stopped off in Florida both on the way there and back. On entering the US on the return leg the immigration official found the exit slip in my passport, looked at it, tore up the form I had just filled in and said "sir it seems you are not here, I know this since you are still in the United States" and sent me on my way.

jammin_2

bap98189 wrote: »

the immigration official found the exit slip in my passport, looked at it, tore up the form I had just filled in and said "sir it seems you are not here, I know this since you are still in the United States" and sent me on my way.

Not incredibly bright our American cousins, are they.

daisiegg

jammin wrote: »

What nationality are you?

Oh, I'm English. Went to Poland on holiday. I know, what was I thinking?!

jammin_2

daisiegg wrote: »

Oh, I'm English. Went to Poland on holiday. I know, what was I thinking?!

And they stamped your passport?

getmore4less

They know you left and when, unless you walked across the border.

The airlines have to tell them everything so it probably won't even show on their screen.

to answer your question we had left it in, but the Imigration guys like to make out they are important so are sometimes a bit smug, do a tut tut and get on with their jobs.



If there had been a real issue with a missing old departure records the esta would probably have been refered.