Denied Entry due to Watch List

[bps1962 0]

Hoping for some advice on my situation.

I was denied entry to the US due to my name appearing on one of the watch lists. Flew from London into Newark under the visa waiver programme (british passport) and was sent for secondary screening - I was coming in on a business trip like before. They held me for about 6 hours before putting me on the next flight back home. I was asked all sorts of questions about my history and they couldn't really understand why my name was being flagged up now when I had been ok to travel previously.

I was told I couldn't use the VWP again and needed to apply for a visa on my return to the UK, which I subsequently did, but that got refused as well for the same reasons. Thing is i've been to the US quite a few times for business reasons so i'm not sure what's changed now. I've gone through the DHS TRIP process before I applied for the visa but that didn't really help as all they said was that if records had to be amended they have been.

I'm required to travel for my work so this situation doesn't really help. My company wrote a letter in support of my travel for my visa application, which was refused.

Is there anything I can do to resolve this or am I banned forever?

Thankyou

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Did you use your TRIP number when you applied for a visa ?

[bps1962 0]

With the VISA application I attached all the relevant documents including the letter i'd received from TRIP. At the interview process they even went through it with me. Should I have included the reference on a form somewhere?

[belinda63 3,038]

You can go file another trip request but as you have already done this I don't really know how it will help, but it certainly wouldn't hurt.

The watch list is an ever changing and growing list so it is possible, and has happened, where a person was cleared on a flight and then denied on a connection because their name was added to the list during the flight.

What you can do is clarify if you are denied entry to the US or just denied the ability to fly over US airspace. If you are just denied the ability to fly then you could seek alternate means such as entering through Canada or Mexico and driving into the US.

I don't have the links but this has happened to US permanent residents also where they left the US to visit their home overseas and then found they couldn't fly back to the US because they were added to the No-Fly list. The response from the US government was along the lines of "we aren't denying you entry into the US, we are just saying you can't fly in US airspace, you can still take a boat to return to the US.

Good luck to you and I am sorry the US has become so unfriendly to tourist and business persons.

[bps1962 0]

Thanks Belinda. it sounds like a bit of a blunt tool to stop everyone who has the same name as someone who might be up to no good - surely they could make it more intelligent by keeping photos and other information of the people they actually want to detain. I find it quite frustrating as there doesn't really seem to be anyone you can ask for information!

I'm going to put another TRIP request in, but do you know who I would ask about whether i'm denied entry to the US or over it's airpspace?

Thanks

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

They should be able to access what the result of the case was. If it isn't you that is really on the list ( another john smith or whatever your name is ) You may need to press them for some kind of resolution There have been cases of kids not being allowed on planes because their name is on the list.