Honeymoon destination Hawaii - problems?

[Mr. Grey 0]

But isn't Canada a different story, because of pre-clearance ? Everyone travelling from Canada to the U.S. clears Immigration in Canada already, before boarding the plane. Thus, the passengers travelling to Alaska / Tennessee (I suppose that's where you live, William_Wallace) should already have passed Immigration.

Right ?

No. Still live in Scotland. Will be in America this year i hope. Myself and fiance were thinking of going to Alaska for our honeymoon but thats not going to happen now.

See above - I think a routing via Canada shouldn't get you into problems. But maybe the others have their thoughts on this ... after they woke up

Daniel

[Eric-Pris 1,604]

I wouldn't risk it. Afterall, the instructions given to K-1 applicants is that they can't leave the country until they receive their travel authorization.

When picking up her visa last week, my fiancee was sternly told "You can't leave the United States without prior permission until you receive your papers". I think they meant until she receives her green card (or AP).

Being in Canada (even in transit) is "leaving the United States". So no matter what the immigration procedures are, technically, you are still leaving the United States.

[rupa 2]

Any thoughts on Puerto Rico? my fiance and I are really hoping to do our honeymoon there. Anyone had any experience going there?

Most posts I've read say don't chance it, but has anyone gone and had any problems?

[payxibka 10,045]

Being in Canada (even in transit) is "leaving the United States". So no matter what the immigration procedures are, technically, you are still leaving the United States.

Who ever said you cannot leave the USA? The problem is not "leaving the United States" as a K-1 can do it as they choose. The question is will they be "inspected" upon arrival. If the answer is no then no issues... If the answer is yes then you have big issues.

[pushbrk 12,569]

But isn't Canada a different story, because of pre-clearance ? Everyone travelling from Canada to the U.S. clears Immigration in Canada already, before boarding the plane. Thus, the passengers travelling to Alaska / Tennessee (I suppose that's where you live, William_Wallace) should already have passed Immigration.

Right ?

No. Still live in Scotland. Will be in America this year i hope. Myself and fiance were thinking of going to Alaska for our honeymoon but thats not going to happen now.

See above - I think a routing via Canada shouldn't get you into problems. But maybe the others have their thoughts on this ... after they woke up

Daniel

For clarity, here are the logistics.

Leave a US airport for Alaska with a stop in Canada. When the plane stops in Canada, the Scotsman doesn't need a transit visa like a Chinese person would but even if he doesn't get off the plane, other people, at the moment in Canada will get on the plane. This will require the passengers to deplane at an international gate in Alaska and go through CBP inspection. All of them. At that moment, the Scotsman will be attempting to enter the USA from Canada, and would not be allowed to do so. Yes, its possible the CBP inspection would be at the Canadian airport with the same result. He wouldn't get through to the gate to re-board the plane.

If you want to visit Alaska, I suggest you route through a US west coast airport like LAX, SFO, or SEA. Then your flight won't route through Canada.

[payxibka 10,045]

But isn't Canada a different story, because of pre-clearance ? Everyone travelling from Canada to the U.S. clears Immigration in Canada already, before boarding the plane. Thus, the passengers travelling to Alaska / Tennessee (I suppose that's where you live, William_Wallace) should already have passed Immigration.

Right ?

No. Still live in Scotland. Will be in America this year i hope. Myself and fiance were thinking of going to Alaska for our honeymoon but thats not going to happen now.

See above - I think a routing via Canada shouldn't get you into problems. But maybe the others have their thoughts on this ... after they woke up

Daniel

For clarity, here are the logistics.

Leave a US airport for Alaska with a stop in Canada. When the plane stops in Canada, the Scotsman doesn't need a transit visa like a Chinese person would but even if he doesn't get off the plane, other people, at the moment in Canada will get on the plane. This will require the passengers to deplane at an international gate in Alaska and go through CBP inspection. All of them. At that moment, the Scotsman will be attempting to enter the USA from Canada, and would not be allowed to do so. Yes, its possible the CBP inspection would be at the Canadian airport with the same result. He wouldn't get through to the gate to re-board the plane.

If you want to visit Alaska, I suggest you route through a US west coast airport like LAX, SFO, or SEA. Then your flight won't route through Canada.

With one exception, unless the flight is "pre-cleared" then it will not go to an international arrival facility. Only the airline can tell you if they will be "pre-clearing" the flight before departure.

[pushbrk 12,569]

But isn't Canada a different story, because of pre-clearance ? Everyone travelling from Canada to the U.S. clears Immigration in Canada already, before boarding the plane. Thus, the passengers travelling to Alaska / Tennessee (I suppose that's where you live, William_Wallace) should already have passed Immigration.

Right ?

No. Still live in Scotland. Will be in America this year i hope. Myself and fiance were thinking of going to Alaska for our honeymoon but thats not going to happen now.

See above - I think a routing via Canada shouldn't get you into problems. But maybe the others have their thoughts on this ... after they woke up

Daniel

For clarity, here are the logistics.

Leave a US airport for Alaska with a stop in Canada. When the plane stops in Canada, the Scotsman doesn't need a transit visa like a Chinese person would but even if he doesn't get off the plane, other people, at the moment in Canada will get on the plane. This will require the passengers to deplane at an international gate in Alaska and go through CBP inspection. All of them. At that moment, the Scotsman will be attempting to enter the USA from Canada, and would not be allowed to do so. Yes, its possible the CBP inspection would be at the Canadian airport with the same result. He wouldn't get through to the gate to re-board the plane.

If you want to visit Alaska, I suggest you route through a US west coast airport like LAX, SFO, or SEA. Then your flight won't route through Canada.

With one exception, unless the flight is "pre-cleared" then it will not go to an international arrival facility. Only the airline can tell you if they will be "pre-clearing" the flight before departure.

In the scenario you describe, who is pre-cleared for what and at which airport. I've been through US CBP inspection many times at the Ottawa airport but I'm being cleared to enter the US from Canada. That won't work for a K1 holder on their honeymoon.

Is there a kind of pre-clearing that makes the stopover disappear? The only thing I can think of is the passengers boarding in Canada are pre-cleared and the US boarding passengers stay on the plane. If so, yes, that would do the trick. Is it done?

[payxibka 10,045]

In the scenario you describe, who is pre-cleared for what and at which airport. I've been through US CBP inspection many times at the Ottawa airport but I'm being cleared to enter the US from Canada. That won't work for a K1 holder on their honeymoon.

Is there a kind of pre-clearing that makes the stopover disappear? The only thing I can think of is the passengers boarding in Canada are pre-cleared and the US boarding passengers stay on the plane. If so, yes, that would do the trick. Is it done?

Yes, the pax must not "enter" Canada and then be re-inspected by CBP. Only the airline can tell you what they do. Regardless, too risky by my standards.

[Eric-Pris 1,604]

Who ever said you cannot leave the USA? The problem is not "leaving the United States" as a K-1 can do it as they choose. The question is will they be "inspected" upon arrival. If the answer is no then no issues... If the answer is yes then you have big issues.

The US Embassy in Costa Rica.

It's just semantics. I'm sure that when the lady at the embassy told me fiancee that she "can't leave the US", she meant that if she leaves she won't be able to re-enter. Obviously, people are free to leave whenever they want, but it's not a certainty they will be allowed back in.

[Gerald and Vinera 0]

So i take it Alaska is the same then. Even if it lands in Canada. Myself and my fiance were thinking of going there but wasnt too sure if that would cause a problem or not, as we would be flying probebly from Charlotte or Atlanta.

"Even if it lands in Canada". I wouldn't risk that. If it lands in Canada then all passengers will go through CBP inspection at the next USA landing. Alaska is fine but not with a routing through Canada.

Even if your only landing there for a connecting flight to Alaska?

My immigration attorney told me of a case where one of his clients and his Russian fiancee went to Alaska for their honeymoon and the plane stopped in Canada on the return trip and she was deprted back to Russia!

[chnst 6]

holy cow.. who in their right mind wants to go to Alaska for their honeymoon anyways??

Daniel- enjoy Hawaii. We went to Maui and Oahu for our honeymoon while I was a K-1. Good Times!

I was nervous about the visa issue too, since it is further away than Germany (from NY) but still belongs to the US. Silly me.

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

Any thoughts on Puerto Rico? my fiance and I are really hoping to do our honeymoon there. Anyone had any experience going there?

Most posts I've read say don't chance it, but has anyone gone and had any problems?

Puerto Rico isn't a state so I think it wnt be possible to go there and come back while not having your green card yet... like with the other things said in here, why risk it?

And the 'why risk it' is basically something I wonder about a lot of things being said here... I mean, you can do your honeymoon after all of this is behind you as well (or at least after you get your AP).. Me and my fiance will, for example, have a quick and cheap marriage first, just so we can be together and after it all has been arranged, we will have a more traditional marriage, one we can actually plan and one where we can actually do a honeymoon. Why take the risk, you can always do it a bit later on again

[john_and_marlene 162]

Any thoughts on Puerto Rico? my fiance and I are really hoping to do our honeymoon there. Anyone had any experience going there?

Most posts I've read say don't chance it, but has anyone gone and had any problems?

Puerto Rico isn't a state so I think it wnt be possible to go there and come back while not having your green card yet... like with the other things said in here, why risk it?

And the 'why risk it' is basically something I wonder about a lot of things being said here... I mean, you can do your honeymoon after all of this is behind you as well (or at least after you get your AP).. Me and my fiance will, for example, have a quick and cheap marriage first, just so we can be together and after it all has been arranged, we will have a more traditional marriage, one we can actually plan and one where we can actually do a honeymoon. Why take the risk, you can always do it a bit later on again

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. You can go there and return without problems.

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

Any thoughts on Puerto Rico? my fiance and I are really hoping to do our honeymoon there. Anyone had any experience going there?

Most posts I've read say don't chance it, but has anyone gone and had any problems?

Puerto Rico isn't a state so I think it wnt be possible to go there and come back while not having your green card yet... like with the other things said in here, why risk it?

And the 'why risk it' is basically something I wonder about a lot of things being said here... I mean, you can do your honeymoon after all of this is behind you as well (or at least after you get your AP).. Me and my fiance will, for example, have a quick and cheap marriage first, just so we can be together and after it all has been arranged, we will have a more traditional marriage, one we can actually plan and one where we can actually do a honeymoon. Why take the risk, you can always do it a bit later on again

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. You can go there and return without problems.

Hmm.. I should've looked it up first.. just did coz now I really wanted to know and you're right.. as long as the airplane doesn't hit ground or water which is not controlled by the US, it is possible to go there without any risk.

[Mr. Grey 0]

holy cow.. who in their right mind wants to go to Alaska for their honeymoon anyways??

Daniel- enjoy Hawaii. We went to Maui and Oahu for our honeymoon while I was a K-1. Good Times!

I was nervous about the visa issue too, since it is further away than Germany (from NY) but still belongs to the US. Silly me.

Thanks, I'm still trying to convince my fiancee that Las Vegas would be fun, too But something tells me that she doesn't like the idea ...

I'm gonna drop you a PM on Hawaii, because I have some questions about it.

Daniel