traveling to US via 3rd country (split topic)

[Anibunny 9]

Q:  If you are from a country that has a Corona virus travelban in place, can you first go to another country and stay more than 14 days,  and bypass the travel ban that way??

 

 The ban states if you have been in any of those countries within the last 14 days, You will be banned from traveling to the US. If you go to a country that is not on the banned list and stay more than 2 weeks, and then enter the US,  you should be ok?

Can we effectively work around the ban that way so that the immigrant visa doesn't expire before it can be used?

Example: If someone from china  goes to a neighboring country that does not have a travel ban against them, and stays for example in russia for 2.5 weeks,  and then immigrates to the US?

[Ryan H 3,812]

***Post split into separate thread as poster is asking their own question and not replying to the OP of the other thread; please start your own thread with your own questions instead of hijacking threads started by other members.***

[Steeleballz 7,550]

53 minutes ago, Anibunny said:

Q:  If you are from a country that has a Corona virus travelban in place, can you first go to another country and stay more than 14 days,  and bypass the travel ban that way??

 

 The ban states if you have been in any of those countries within the last 14 days, You will be banned from traveling to the US. If you go to a country that is not on the banned list and stay more than 2 weeks, and then enter the US,  you should be ok?

Can we effectively work around the ban that way so that the immigrant visa doesn't expire before it can be used?

Example: If someone from china  goes to a neighboring country that does not have a travel ban against them, and stays for example in russia for 2.5 weeks,  and then immigrates to the US?

 

    Possibly. You are not actually bypassing the ban, you are just waiting the 14 day period in a different country. You are taking a chance if you will still be able to get a flight from the other country in 2 weeks, so you do have to evaluate the risk of getting stuck in the 3rd country if things get worse. It's very hard to predict what things will be like going foreward, but the way Russia is handling things ATM, I'm not sure it's a place I'd want to be 2 weeks from now.

[Anibunny 9]

1 hour ago, Steeleballz said:

 

    Possibly. You are not actually bypassing the ban, you are just waiting the 14 day period in a different country. You are taking a chance if you will still be able to get a flight from the other country in 2 weeks, so you do have to evaluate the risk of getting stuck in the 3rd country if things get worse. It's very hard to predict what things will be like going foreward, but the way Russia is handling things ATM, I'm not sure it's a place I'd want to be 2 weeks from now.

Not leaving from china nor staying in Russia but just used that as an example.

I was hoping for more of a definite than a "possibly" , but it seems with this current situation,  nothing is definite right now. Or anytime soon to come

[Dashinka 24,508]

2 hours ago, Anibunny said:

Q:  If you are from a country that has a Corona virus travelban in place, can you first go to another country and stay more than 14 days,  and bypass the travel ban that way??

 

 The ban states if you have been in any of those countries within the last 14 days, You will be banned from traveling to the US. If you go to a country that is not on the banned list and stay more than 2 weeks, and then enter the US,  you should be ok?

Can we effectively work around the ban that way so that the immigrant visa doesn't expire before it can be used?

Example: If someone from china  goes to a neighboring country that does not have a travel ban against them, and stays for example in russia for 2.5 weeks,  and then immigrates to the US?

I don’t think it will be easy getting into Russia via China anytime soon.  Heck, for most folks it is not easy getting into Russia at all.  Regardless, as @Steeleballz mentioned, who knows what the situation will be in two weeks.  I know two weeks ago, my wife was in Russia, and we were scrambling to find a way home for her (her original path was through South Korea) and hoping we did not have to make a last minute change. We were lucky, Russia was not included in the travel restrictions when they were announced, and she made it home.

 

Good Luck!

[Anibunny 9]

1 minute ago, Dashinka said:

I don’t think it will be easy getting into Russia via China anytime soon.  Heck, for most folks it is not easy getting into Russia at all.  Regardless, as @Steeleballz mentioned, who knows what the situation will be in two weeks.  I know two weeks ago, my wife was in Russia, and we were scrambling to find a way home for her (her original path was through South Korea) and hoping we did not have to make a last minute change. We were lucky, Russia was not included in the travel restrictions when they were announced, and she made it home.

 

Good Luck!

Again,  China and Russia were just examples. I meant coming from any banned country to a non-banned country and waiting there for over 2 weeks.  That will exempt you from being banned by the US?

[Dashinka 24,508]

1 minute ago, Anibunny said:

Again,  China and Russia were just examples. I meant coming from any banned country to a non-banned country and waiting there for over 2 weeks.  That will exempt you from being banned by the US?

Possibly, hard to say what will be happening in two to three weeks.  Again, using Russia as an example, when my wife’s flight landed in DC they were asked which countries were visited and unless that country was on the restricted list, or it was more than 14 days in a non-restricted country my understanding was that there were no issues.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Dashinka

[Steeleballz 7,550]

Just now, Anibunny said:

Not leaving from china nor staying in Russia but just used that as an example.

I was hoping for more of a definite than a "possibly" , but it seems with this current situation,  nothing is definite right now. Or anytime soon to come

 

   The difficulty is giving a for sure answer today that still applies tomorrow. Right now what you suggested would work, but beyond today, it's hard to know.

[cyclone27 710]

I’d expect no flights in or out of US at some point in the near future.

[nykolos 711]

7 hours ago, cyclone27 said:

I’d expect no flights in or out of US at some point in the near future.

They will say that you can fly out, but with no flights allowed into the US, there are no planes to fly out.

 

 

 

 

[cd37 229]

17 hours ago, Anibunny said:

Q:  If you are from a country that has a Corona virus travelban in place, can you first go to another country and stay more than 14 days,  and bypass the travel ban that way??

 

 The ban states if you have been in any of those countries within the last 14 days, You will be banned from traveling to the US. If you go to a country that is not on the banned list and stay more than 2 weeks, and then enter the US,  you should be ok?

Can we effectively work around the ban that way so that the immigrant visa doesn't expire before it can be used?

Example: If someone from china  goes to a neighboring country that does not have a travel ban against them, and stays for example in russia for 2.5 weeks,  and then immigrates to the US?

With how things going on in US, I highly doubt they will allow you to enter. No matte where you spend 14 days, you are still a passport holder from the banned countries. Eventually you will see all international flights banned I am predicting.

[JeanneAdil 6,510]

Are you traveling back to the US as a USC or green card holder

Our understanding as announced in French news was that only  green card holders and USC"s would be allowed to fly in (no matter where you are flying from)

a paper had to be filled out and handed in at POE to federal officals with all countries that we had been to in the last 3 months (we flew in March 17th from Paris)

several things can happen

1.  ban can be extended timewise or other

2.  ban could be lifted in 14 days or a month

3.  government can allow some countries to fly in but not others 

you are really asking a question that can not be answered but if you are not a USC or green card holder at this time,  i would not buy a ticket

For instance 1 week ago when we left France Air France had cancelled 30% of their flights /  now they have cancelled 90% and people with a ticket have been put on hold

Edited March 23, 2020 by JeanneAdil

[cyclone27 710]

Internal domestic flights will most likely be next on the chopping block.

 

Sure US Greencard holders and citizens are allowed in, but if there are no flights coming then it’s a moot point.

[Kris & Crystal 47]

I know some people dont want to hear this, but stop travelling or trying to travel. You're only putting yourself and others at risk, including your family.