Wife and baby stuck in Peru. Please help!

[Angela & Paul 12]

My wife just called me from Lima Airport where the airline (LAN) will not let her board the flight to San Francisco because she's carrying a copy of the letter of extension.

She is connecting in Lima from Sao Paulo, Brazil, her home country.

I tried explaining on the phone to the agent that the officers in SFO will have all the information regarding her case and do not even need the letter, original or copy. I have read some other topics on this forum telling exactly that.

I also told the airline agent that I will be in San Francisco with the original letter.

I said the letter does not say the passenger needs to travel with the original.

I explained she has the baby, that it's Christmas... Nothing would make them bulge.

At this point, it sounds like she needs a travel document from a US embassy. I told her not to stay in Lima, but to go back to Sao Paulo to get it.

The airline agent I had on the phone said the airline made a mistake and should have checked her documents in Sao Paulo and not let her board the flight there.

He said he hoped his supervisors would let her go back to Sao Paulo on the next flight for free, where she probably will end up in 24 hours.

At this point, I need help from anyone on this forum who either had this problem and/or requested a travel document at the US embassy. What is needed, how does this work.

Anything to help me (her) through his will be much appreciated.

Needless to say, it Christmas tomorrow and all embassies will be closed, so she's not going to be in San Francisco for several days.

I am extremely disappointed and upset at the airline, which she used on the way to Brazil two weeks ago! They had many occasions to tell her she needed another travel document.

If you ever wondered who was the grinch who killed Christmas, it's LAN!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I don't know if they will give it to her there (she should call or something) but she needs a GC (I-551) stamp in her passport.

The problem with the copy is it's easy to change a photocopy, not an original. It might not actually be hers (is their thinking).

[Angela & Paul 12]

Since when airlines decide if a passenger can get into the US or not? It's supposed to be the role and responsibility of the Immigration officers.

Anyway, she's flying back to Sao Paulo today and will go to the US Consulate on Monday.

[menina 50]

Since when airlines decide if a passenger can get into the US or not? It's supposed to be the role and responsibility of the Immigration officers.

Anyway, she's flying back to Sao Paulo today and will go to the US Consulate on Monday.

My in-laws were not allowed to board a flight from sfo to sao paulo via Mexico because they did not have a Mexican visa in their passport. This was after I personally contacted the airlines to make sure they did not need to have a visa just to fly through Mexico and not even leave the airport. I was told that they would be given a travel visa at the airlines counter in sfo which simply states that they cannot leave the airport but are just transferring to another plane. They had also flown through Mexico on their way to the US without issues. SFO told me that the airline agent had made a mistake in giving me this information and were they allow the family to fly to mexicom they would be deported back to the us at the airline´s cost. It is probably the same for LAN. Hopefully she can get to an American embassy that will allow her to get the stamp in her passport. Can she do that in Peru to save time? I am sorry for your situation. Is there a reason she was not traveling with the original letter? I think like Vanessa suggested, either the original or the passport stamp is needed. I am scared to death of this happening to us as we will be doing ROC soon. Probably we won´t even travel abroad until the new green card is in hand. Good luck! I hope you can work out everything soon.

[payxibka 10,045]

Since when airlines decide if a passenger can get into the US or not? It's supposed to be the role and responsibility of the Immigration officers.

Anyway, she's flying back to Sao Paulo today and will go to the US Consulate on Monday.

Airlines do not decided who can enter the US but who can get on there planes. Since the US government now requires the airlines to be responsible to return any alien who did not have proper entry documents at the airlines own expense, is when they started decided who can get on or not on there planes based on entry documents

[Boiler 45,292]

Since when airlines decide if a passenger can get into the US or not? It's supposed to be the role and responsibility of the Immigration officers.

Anyway, she's flying back to Sao Paulo today and will go to the US Consulate on Monday.

The first time I came to the US was about 20 years ago, certainly then.

I am not sure how much you have traveled but it is normal requirement to ask for such info.

If I understand the situation she is travelling with an expired Greencard and without the original extension letter or an I 551 stamp.

Edited December 24, 2011 by Boiler

[AmberOctober 25]

Since when airlines decide if a passenger can get into the US or not? It's supposed to be the role and responsibility of the Immigration officers.

Actually if an airline lets "illegal" person make it to his/her destination and the person will be denied entry, an airline will be in trouble for letting this slip through fingers.

So yes, it is their responsibility.

Last summer we got my Dad a ticket to the US via Canada. He wasn't let out of the airport of origin, it turned out that Canada has this stupid rule that even transit passengers should have a transit visa which they only can get in the Embassy, and they didn't care that he'd only be at the airport for 30 minutes. So he had to purchase a completely new ticket going to the US via Germany.

I'm sorry for what happened. Maybe you can mail your wife the original of NOA1?

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

Airlines can actually be fined HUGE sums of money for letting someone on their planes without the proper travel documents so they tend to be very cautious.

[Angela & Paul 12]

Thank you for your kind words.

She was not traveling with the original letter because we did not want to lose it and since it is information that the Officers at the port of entry in the US have, we did not think it was necessary to have the original.

Nowhere on the letter does it say that the original has to be carried with the person at all times and for travel. And then her Port of Entry is San Francisco where I could have brought the letter to give the Officer.

Some other people have mentioned that airlines can get huge fines, and it sounded when speaking to the LAN agent that it happened to them before so I guess they have zero tolerance policy now.

The issue here is that she was allowed to fly ifrom Sao Paulo and she should not have. The airline recognized they made a mistake by not checking her documents there. She would have avoided the trouble of the LIma overnight stay, had been able to actually go to the Consulate before they closed and maybe even would be on a flight to the US as we speak.

The airline did pay for hotel, food and transportation, as well as the flight back from Lima to Sao Paulo.

Baby's first Christmas will be one to remember, for all the wrong reasons unfortunately. And we will not be together as planned.

PS: another issue is that we filed for "Removal of Conditions" in late May at the CSC and we're pretty much the only ones from May who have not been approved and received the Green Card already. Some folks who applied in August already received theirs...

My in-laws were not allowed to board a flight from sfo to sao paulo via Mexico because they did not have a Mexican visa in their passport. This was after I personally contacted the airlines to make sure they did not need to have a visa just to fly through Mexico and not even leave the airport. I was told that they would be given a travel visa at the airlines counter in sfo which simply states that they cannot leave the airport but are just transferring to another plane. They had also flown through Mexico on their way to the US without issues. SFO told me that the airline agent had made a mistake in giving me this information and were they allow the family to fly to mexicom they would be deported back to the us at the airline´s cost. It is probably the same for LAN. Hopefully she can get to an American embassy that will allow her to get the stamp in her passport. Can she do that in Peru to save time? I am sorry for your situation. Is there a reason she was not traveling with the original letter? I think like Vanessa suggested, either the original or the passport stamp is needed. I am scared to death of this happening to us as we will be doing ROC soon. Probably we won´t even travel abroad until the new green card is in hand. Good luck! I hope you can work out everything soon.

[jojolicious 38]

I hope everything will work out for her on Monday at the Consulate so that you can be with your family to ring in the new year at least

[Angela & Paul 12]

Thank you, I called the US Consulate emergency number and they told me the Consulate is closed until Tuesday.

I also called FedEx and there is an option to ship a letter "Next Flight" but it requires a business account, which I don't have.

Otherwise there is FedEx Priority International where the item would leave Tuesday and could arrive Thursday. No guarantee though.

Anyone has experience sending letters from the US to Brazil? Which company did you use? which one is more reliable, if any?

I am thinking FedEx, UPS, TNT, USPS...

I hope everything will work out for her on Monday at the Consulate so that you can be with your family to ring in the new year at least

[menina 50]

I shipped our documents via USPS international priority or express not sure which. They got sent to Venezuela instead which I verified by tracking the package on the website. I was able to sort it out by calling usps, and eventually they made their way to my husband. I have also sent packages through the same service and had them arive no problem. Depending on where she lives, she may have to go to the local post office because they don~t deliver those packages to homes. If she is in Sao Paulo, I imagine the process would be a little faster. At this point, I think sending her the letter will probably be the best option unless she can get what she needs from the consulate on Tuesday. |Also, not sure how busy they will be after the holidays. She might call and try to get an appointment first. I understand how frustrating this must be. I felt the same way on a lesser scale with my in-laws situation. They were given a free flight back to Brasil since it was the airline~s fault, but they missed the connecting flight in Sao Paulo and had to pay over $2000 each to book a new flight. Maybe you can have another Christmas celebration when your wife and baby get back? If you have Skype you can at least talk on Christmas day.

[Corinthians 7]

Anyone has experience sending letters from the US to Brazil? Which company did you use? which one is more reliable, if any?

I am thinking FedEx, UPS, TNT, USPS...

We have used FedEx multiple times. We never had any problems including times when we sent things of significant value. Things arrived on time, no significant delays. My wife used to live just outside of Sao Paulo. We've also sent things USPS (with what seems like only 1 minor problem) but for something like this I'd lean toward FedEx.

Hopefully things will run smoothly going forward.

[yachachiq12 43]

Can you start contacting friends who might have access to a business account who would be able to send the FedEx package for you? Time to get creative! I hope you figure it out, no matter how the solution comes.

I wonder how quickly they can stamp her passport if she has to wait until Tuesday to get the Embassy to act...

Good luck!

[Angela & Paul 12]

The company I work for has a FedEx business account, we ship a lot of products. Unfortunately, it's the holidays and everything is closed until Monday. It's now too late.

FedEx will open on Tuesday morning, same as the US Consulate in Sao Paulo, which is 6 hours ahead. So Monday 2pm in Brazil, 8am here in CA, I should know if they can provide a solution immediately. Based on that, I will or will not send the letter FedEx. The FedEx people said if I send it Tuesday morning with dropoff at the local FedEx center, it should arrive Thursday, for about $80. I hope he told me the truth, that's pretty quick and close to being a "next-flight option".

The next issue will be to have LAN pay for Angela and the baby's tickets. She has a Credit Card but her credit limit is not very high.

For now, I hope she arrives in Sao Paulo on time (around 1am), and that both Angela and the baby are doing fine. Her uncle will pick her up.

I will keep you posted on what happens at the Consulate on Tuesday.