Visiting USA - possible problem with passport stamps

R

rsta

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Hi all.
Hopefully someone can advise. I've rang the US embassy but they were absolutley no help at all, woman on reception kept transferring me to automated messages, before i could explain, I even rang the visa line a 1580 number... costs a fortune but no help. So I looked up the website but there is no advice on this particular matter.

My friend and I are planning to go to the states to go shopping in December for a long weekend. The problem is her passport. She used to work for an American cruisecompany and was based in Florida. But she quit her contract halfway through to come home. So the cruisecompany paid for her flight home and transport to the airport and all, but as she did not complete her contract she had to be accompanied by a security guard to the gate at the airport.

Now on her passport there is a stamp saying 'remove foreign under safeguard' and the flight details. She's not been back to the states since, but has travelled other places before with no bother.

Do you think the immigration in the airport will give us hassel over this if they spot the stamp? She's not illegal or anything obviously but will they cause a fuss and delay us on our shopping weekend??! It would be such a pain...

All advise and comments welcome... I'm really kind of fretting over this. Thanks a million.
 
You should contact the department of home land security (DHLS) in the US.
My wife had problems with US immigration (they has not recorded her as leaving the country on one visit & her record showed her as overstayed).
She applied, with evidence of departure etc. to one address and after a set period (I think a few months) had to write to another address in the US to ask if her file had been corrected. She now has a letter stating that her status is correct.
Not sure if this is a similar situation to yours but worth checking out the DHLS web site http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm
 
Am flying to Boston in December with American Airlines via Aer Lingus to London.
Where will I clear immigration?

Am so used to clearing at the Shannon stopover on the Aer Lingus flights
 
A friend of mine was refused entry to the U.S as a student and now has to apply for a holiday visa any time he travels there.
 
Greenday

Re flying Dublin/London/Boston

You will do immigration on arrival at Boston. The best thing about Logan Airport is its proximity to the city - you will be in the city centre in less than 20 mins by cab.
 
Thanks Miselemeas - was scaring myself with the thoughts of arraiving in Boston & being sent back home cos I hadn't dome immigartion in Dublin.

What flights is immigration in Dublin for then ??
 
Greenday - If you are flying from Dublin direct you can normally do Customs at Dublin. You will be given cards to fill out on the London/Boston flight. They will check your index finger fingerprints and take a photo on arrival. You will be given the stub part of the green card, which you will keep in your passport until you are returning. They will then take it back at the US airport of departure.

Would advise you to get on to the American Airlines website and enter your passport details, address at your destination etc - if you are using a travel agent they have probably taken these details, but no harm to check.

You will have a fantastic time there - shopping is terrific, especially Filene's basement!
 
Thanks Kildrought, Webtax, Recan and GVA!

I think it be best if she gets a new passport! Is there a new serial number on a new passport? Or would her details be the same as old one?

Thanks again
 
greenday said:
Am flying to Boston in December with American Airlines via Aer Lingus to London.
Where will I clear immigration?

Am so used to clearing at the Shannon stopover on the Aer Lingus flights
Click to expand...

Greenday, I've flown into the states via london / germany / australia with no problems, you do immigration on arrival in the states.
 
Pretty sure new passport does not work as have lived in the U.S. this may have worked a few years ago but not anymore.Have friends who lived in the U.S. illegally and have tried this and the vast majority have been stopped by immigration.Would get it sorted out before you leave.
 
New Passport will raise questions. It is easy for the immigaration to recognise a new passport as it will not be valid for the full 10 years but only for the unexpired term of your old passport (I think ?)
This happened my wife when she exchanged her passport (hand written) for a computer readable one (which is required by US immigration).
 
Hi Bms1 and Recam,

I didn't know a replacement passport would only be valid for the remainder of the standard 10years.. That could be suspect alright.

Well thanks Recam for that website I will get on to them or get my friend to ring them as she'll have her passport on her. Did you find it easy to get through to some one? Where they more helpful than the US embassy here in Ireland?

Thanks again
 
my friend lived and worked illegally in the US for years. anytime she would go back and forwards she'd just get a new passport. the immigration office in the US is in such a mess that there's no way they'd track it. just get a new passport and your friend should be fine.
 
As i said a few years ago this was true their a lot better organised now, i wouldn't take the risk imagine being turnred away in the U.S. after spending all that money on flights.
 
More news... it turns out my friend still has the I-95 crewmans landing card attached to her passport. We looked this up on the website and as it is much the same as the I-94 immigration card it looks like she might not be recorded as having left the u.s. ? But the stamp on passport saying 'remove...' also gives the flight details for her flight to england.

All we want to do is go to NY and shop... She is gonig to try to ring dept. of homeland security in the states this afternoon. Hope it sorts out.
 

Don't think it was a very straight forward process. I know it took a few months to sort. I think all communication was by email or snail mail not over the phone.
Better to get it sorted and not take a chance, we were on our honeymoon when my wife got taken to be interviewed (in was in NY and in an open room full of non english speaking travellers and immigration staff conducting interviews in front of everyone. They sat at raised decks so that they could speak down to you, reminded me of a court room. A bit of a frightning experience.
 
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