Flying within the USA with and expired visa

[TBoneTX 45,308]

I honestly don't think I'm going to take a risk and enter the "lions cage" so flying out to Cali is not not happening any time soon. Thank you for all the answers I appreciate it very much

Good choice! Good luck to you, si man.

[Harsh_77 718]

I'm afraid you have incomplete information...also from the TSA site:

'In June 2007, a layer of aviation security was added when TSA assumed travel document checking responsibilities from airline contractors. Specially trained Transportation Security Officers (TSOs), using black lights and magnifying loupes, are positioned in front of the checkpoint to check passengers' boarding passes and identification, a system now in place at every airport in the country. Since the program was implemented, security officers performing document checking duties have found thousands of suspect, illegible or expired documents, including passports, visas and drivers licenses.'

http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/tdc/index.shtm

They only check your ID document to make sure they are legit, they don't flip thru the passport and look for the visa and validity of the visa.

Saying that does not mean they would never do it, they would only ask for visa and stuff if they feel the passport itself is invalid, or passports bio page has been tampered.

Also you are reading from the website, I am telling you from my real observation, I fly alteast twice every week and one of the airport I flu thru has tons of tourist from all over the place.

Lines are are crazy anyway at this airport (thats diff story) but if TSA started looking at everyones visa security lines would be beyond control.

[habibi83 12]

Here is the description from TSA site "Since 2001, we have been mandated by law to appropriately screen air travelers to ensure that certain items and persons prohibited from flying dont board commercial airliners."

Duties of a TSO (Transportation Security Officer)

Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) provide security and protection of air travelers, airports and aircraft in a courteous and professional manner. This includes:

Operating screening equipment to identify dangerous objects in baggage, cargo and on passengers, and preventing those objects from being transported onto aircraft;

Performing searches, to include hand-wand and pat-down searches;

Controlling terminal entry and exit points;

Interacting with the public, giving directions and responding to inquiries;

Maintaining focus and awareness while working in a stressful environment which includes noise from alarms, machinery and people, crowd distractions, time pressure, and disruptive and angry passengers, in order to preserve the professional ability to identify and locate potentially life threatening or mass destruction devices, and to make effective decisions in both crisis and routine situations.

Nowhere is says they are required to check the immigration status of the passenger and infact as I said most don't. I fly atleast twice everyweek and one of the airport I fly to has lots of foregin tourist including ppl from Brazil, Argentina and Europe.

I have never seen a TSA guy flip the passport other then Bio page.

Only time I have seen them flip the passport is when they feel the passport itself is a fake.

As I mentioned they are not stopped from checking the visa and if they find something is not right they can call the CBP officer in the airport and hand over the case to them.

hm..whatever you want to think I only speak from my own experience of previously working at one of the main airports in Chicago. I did not work as a TSA but within the back offices at the airport so I will disagree with you on this one...like I said she might get lucky that's about it. (anyway it doesn't sound that she even has a valid US ID to show)

Edited February 4, 2012 by habibi83

[habibi83 12]

you got that right. obviously I'm not getting married for papers so I do what I can to stay here and function just like everyone else... it's just my options are limited. I honestly don't think I'm going to take a risk and enter the "lions cage" so flying out to Cali is not not happening any time soon. Thank you for all the answers I appreciate it very much

Have you tried driving with someone that might be more reasonable solution for you. Or take the train/metra, they usally do not check things too intensly...

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Beata,

do you have a U.S. driver's license?