Do not attempt to travel to the US while tourist ban is in effect

[milimelo 4,477]

We just arrived to the US (both UScit) but wanted to share what we saw in Frankfurt. 
 

There was an older lady from Croatia (so non-Schengen) who even though she had tickets to the States and obviously made it to FRA for the US flight was denied boarding as she had a tourist visa. She was    told she can take it up with the consulate in her home country (even though it won’t produce a different decision under the current rules). 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

2 hours ago, milimelo said:

We just arrived to the US (both UScit) but wanted to share what we saw in Frankfurt. 
 

There was an older lady from Croatia (so non-Schengen) who even though she had tickets to the States and obviously made it to FRA for the US flight was denied boarding as she had a tourist visa. She was    told she can take it up with the consulate in her home country (even though it won’t produce a different decision under the current rules). 

I’m assuming that’s because her physical presence in Frankfurt made her subject to the ban. The ban on schengen includes transit. 

[milimelo 4,477]

4 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

I’m assuming that’s because her physical presence in Frankfurt made her subject to the ban. The ban on schengen includes transit. 

No, that's not what they told her - they specifically said it came back with travel not approved as she's not a USC or LPR (I think she was on the same flight with us from Zagreb) and they advised her to get in touch with the consulate in Zagreb to see if she can get restriction lifted. 

[Unlockable 7,314]

Interested to know why she wanted to visit right now. It seems like she took a gamble and it didn't work out. We thought things would get better this month but now the protests are happening. I feel like we are in an End of Time movie.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

14 minutes ago, milimelo said:

No, that's not what they told her - they specifically said it came back with travel not approved as she's not a USC or LPR (I think she was on the same flight with us from Zagreb) and they advised her to get in touch with the consulate in Zagreb to see if she can get restriction lifted. 

... so she doesn’t get round the schengen ban. 

If it was a through ticket I’m surprised she was allowed to board in Zagreb. 

Edited June 3, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[milimelo 4,477]

11 minutes ago, Unlockable said:

Interested to know why she wanted to visit right now. It seems like she took a gamble and it didn't work out. We thought things would get better this month but now the protests are happening. I feel like we are in an End of Time movie.

Son and daughter in law had a baby was what she said to the lady who told her she can't travel. 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

There is no ban on tourists visiting the US. Some countries have current exit restrictions on tourist travel, and the US has a current ban on non USC/LPRs who have been physically present in certain countries. 

[Quarknase 1,072]

Yeah I too believe Frankfurt transit was the issue - otherwise the airline would have stopped her in Zagreb.

[geowrian 22,337]

What tourist ban is there exactly? There are various EOs covering certain citizens and certain locations of physical presence. There is nothing AFAIK generally banning tourists.

[Quarknase 1,072]

6 minutes ago, geowrian said:

What tourist ban is there exactly? There are various EOs covering certain citizens and certain locations of physical presence. There is nothing AFAIK generally banning tourists.

Correct - that’s what some of us have been trying to explain. There are bans for Schengen, China, Iran, UK/Ireland (and I think some other regions), but no general tourist ban (let’s not put even more strain on the travel industry), so we assumed the denied boarding happened due to the traveler trying to travel from Germany (Schengen ban) on a tourist visa not being a spouse or child of USC or LPR.

[dwheels76 5,468]

8 hours ago, Unlockable said:

Interested to know why she wanted to visit right now. It seems like she took a gamble and it didn't work out. We thought things would get better this month but now the protests are happening. I feel like we are in an End of Time movie.

I'm waiting for the Purge whistle to go off. I swear.

[Dani and Alex 14]

So if you’re not yet a USC or LPR but you have an advanced parole card are you allowed back in the country? My husband’s AOS is pending but we’re hoping to visit Croatia actually in September and he would only have advanced parole then.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

28 minutes ago, Dani and Alex said:

So if you’re not yet a USC or LPR but you have an advanced parole card are you allowed back in the country? My husband’s AOS is pending but we’re hoping to visit Croatia actually in September and he would only have advanced parole then.

Spouse of USC is one the allowed exceptions. (Hopefully the ban is over by then too...)

[igoyougoduke 1,656]

What tourist ban is this ? i though there was only restriction of people who visited Europe in  last 14 days 

[HRQX 4,145]

13 hours ago, milimelo said:

No, that's not what they told her - they specifically said it came back with travel not approved as she's not a USC or LPR (I think she was on the same flight with us from Zagreb)

Doesn't matter what the airline employees told her. Transiting through Schengen made her subject to the Schengen ban: https://lu.usembassy.gov/esta-cancellation-information-in-response-to-covid-19/ "Travelers are subject to the Proclamation if they were physically present within the Schengen Area during the 14-day period preceding their entry to the United States.  This prohibition necessarily includes direct travel from, and transit through, the Schengen Area within the 14 day period." 

15 hours ago, milimelo said:

She was    told she can take it up with the consulate in her home country

No. She needs to transit through unrestricted areas (once more flight routes are available).

Edited June 4, 2020 by HRQX