Immediate relative entering on VWP/ESTA

[Annem95 1]

Hello. 
Has anybody here had success entering the US from Schengen/Europe as an immediate relative (spouse of USC)?
Did you have to call or talk to someone first?

 

Thanks. 

[igoyougoduke 1,676]

Spouses are exempt from the EO.  

[Annem95 1]

Yes, I know, but I have read on different forums that they had to call the airlines first to confirm that they were spouses etc. because they did not have immigration visa, only VWP/ESTA.  I just wanted to know if there is some extra work I have to do before booking tickets.

Edited June 5, 2020 by Annem95

[Xyrstine 224]

You can still book tickets. The airlines will probably call to confirm your status and/or attachment to the US (spouse) and confirm it on their end, nearer to the time. You will have to show proof at check in with your marriage certificate and a copy of your spouse's passport.

[igoyougoduke 1,676]

44 minutes ago, Annem95 said:

Yes, I know, but I have read on different forums that they had to call the airlines first to confirm that they were spouses etc. because they did not have immigration visa, only VWP/ESTA.  I just wanted to know if there is some extra work I have to do before booking tickets.

as long you can provide bonafide marriage documents there shouldnt be an issue. 

[JJ-RS 1]

Some first hand experience from the weekend: The previous replies in this thread are correct, you'll mainly need to have your marriage certificate and a copy of your spouse's passport as proof. However, I personally ran into several issues, one of them being that my ESTA got cancelled (not revoked, but set to expired) roughly 12 hours before scheduled departure and as I noticed that just in the morning I didn't have time to get this corrected and ended up moving my flight by a day. Seems like CBP are proactively canceling your ESTA once you appear on a passenger manifest. 

 

At least with United, there's no way to check in online, so you'll end up doing it the old-fashioned way at the airport. They'll put a remark in their system that you're traveling as immediate family member after verifying your documentation. Don't expect this to be your typical 2 minute check-in process; in my case my passport was handed over to another person who then made a phone call and ultimately confirmed that I'm good to go.

 

Over in the US you'll have some health screening before actually going through immigration. Not sure if this was related to traveling under these circumstances or attributed to the fact that I traveled after NOA2 or something different, but I ended up in my first secondary interview in 5+ years. YMMV.

 

 

[Annem95 1]

Thank you so much!! This was just what I needed. Do you thing the marriage certificate has to be original? 

[Xyrstine 224]

20 hours ago, Annem95 said:

Thank you so much!! This was just what I needed. Do you thing the marriage certificate has to be original? 

As long as it is a certified copy, it's fine. Not sure about photocopies. 

[JJ-RS 1]

agreed - I had a certified copy of the marriage cert and a standard photocopy of my wife's passport with me.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,096]

23 hours ago, Annem95 said:

Thank you so much!! This was just what I needed. Do you thing the marriage certificate has to be original? 

In many states (definitely here in CA) the original is filed with the agency responsible for marriage certificates, and you can only ever get a certified copy.

[Annem95 1]

On 6/9/2020 at 6:54 PM, JJ-RS said:

Some first hand experience from the weekend: The previous replies in this thread are correct, you'll mainly need to have your marriage certificate and a copy of your spouse's passport as proof. However, I personally ran into several issues, one of them being that my ESTA got cancelled (not revoked, but set to expired) roughly 12 hours before scheduled departure and as I noticed that just in the morning I didn't have time to get this corrected and ended up moving my flight by a day. Seems like CBP are proactively canceling your ESTA once you appear on a passenger manifest. 

 

 

 

 

What did you do when they canceled your ESTA?

Edited June 11, 2020 by Annem95

[JJ-RS 1]

I simply applied for a new one which was approved in 2-3 hours 🙃

[HRQX 4,145]

On 6/9/2020 at 9:54 AM, JJ-RS said:

one of them being that my ESTA got cancelled (not revoked, but set to expired) roughly 12 hours before scheduled departure and as I noticed that just in the morning I didn't have time to get this corrected and ended up moving my flight by a day.

Did you check-in online for the flight? London has the following FAQ: https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

• Do not attempt to check in for your flight online if you have an ESTA registration.
• Arrive early for your flight.
• Carry any documentation that you believe demonstrates why you have been excepted from a travel restriction, such as a Permanent Resident card (commonly known as a Green Card), a marriage certificate, or a birth certificate, so that it is available if it is requested for review.
• You may also wish to carry a copy of the Presidential Proclamation itself.
• Your status will be reviewed in consultation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials.

[JJ-RS 1]

Yes, at that time there were no clear instructions available. Having checked in the evening before resulted being on the preliminary passenger manifest and that was enough for CPB to cancel the ESTA. Apart from that I can confirm that documentation will be checked during check-in at the airport (in my case it was in Frankfurt) by the airline's embassy / CPB liaison.  

 

Maybe worth mentioning as well: During a subsequent trip with the CR-1 visa in my passport they still had to check my marriage cert, the visa itself was not sufficient even though it stated that I was exempt from the proclamations...