Can B1/B2 visa holders visit the US for a short trip?

[khans4 0]

Hello, 

 

I am an Indonesian citizen currently holding B1/B2 visa. I am planning to visit my boyfriend (USC) at the end of September.

I have booked my flight and I called the airline company to inquire about covid test, but instead they told me that B1/B2 visa holders are currently not allowed to enter the US. 

Is this true or are they just not aware of what visas are allowed to enter the US right now?? 

 

Thank you!

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

As long as you haven’t been in a covid-banned country* (includes transiting through one) for 14 days before entry, you can visit. There is no restriction on anyone with a valid visa from entering other than that.

 

 

*UK, Ireland, schengen Area, mainland China, Brazil 

Edited September 11, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[khans4 0]

Thank you for your answer! I'm kind of worried if the airline I'm taking isn't aware of the regulation, they won't allow me to get on the plane. Should I say anything to the airline?

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

11 minutes ago, khans4 said:

Thank you for your answer! I'm kind of worried if the airline I'm taking isn't aware of the regulation, they won't allow me to get on the plane. Should I say anything to the airline?

The airlines should all have a CBP liaison contact. I’d suggest you get there early (probably a good idea these days anyway) and if the check in agent gives you any trouble insist they confirm with cbp. Which airline is it by the way?

[khans4 0]

American Airlines. I'm thinking abt booking another flight just in case because I'm so worried

[HRQX 4,145]

20 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

*UK, Ireland, schengen Area, mainland China, Brazil 

*and Iran

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

6 hours ago, khans4 said:

American Airlines. I'm thinking abt booking another flight just in case because I'm so worried

 

 

AA really should know this. Who exactly did you speak to? So much confusion around. 

 

Edited September 11, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Just Paul 4,595]

AA doesn't serve Indonesia directly.  I've made that trip connecting at Tokyo or Hong Kong a dozen times. Normally you would contact the carrier that sold you the ticket but you can also contact the carrier that is actually operating the first flight.   B2s and any other visa that has been issued and is valid are still allowed to enter the US subject to certain transiting restrictions noted above.  Calling the AA contact center numbers in Asia doesn't always work for getting the best info.  They are contract employees and I've had weird experiences with them.  Usually I just use a service like google voice to call the US toll free reservation center.  I usually fly 150k miles a year (often with 10+ pieces of luggage) on them and deal with crazy answers all the time.

[Verrou 1,962]

11 hours ago, khans4 said:

Hello, 

 

I am an Indonesian citizen currently holding B1/B2 visa. I am planning to visit my boyfriend (USC) at the end of September.

I have booked my flight and I called the airline company to inquire about covid test, but instead they told me that B1/B2 visa holders are currently not allowed to enter the US. 

Is this true or are they just not aware of what visas are allowed to enter the US right now?? 

 

Thank you!

you are good to go. i have some indonesian friends just entered USA recently to various cities in the states 

[khans4 0]

6 hours ago, Paul & Mary said:

AA doesn't serve Indonesia directly.  I've made that trip connecting at Tokyo or Hong Kong a dozen times. Normally you would contact the carrier that sold you the ticket but you can also contact the carrier that is actually operating the first flight.   B2s and any other visa that has been issued and is valid are still allowed to enter the US subject to certain transiting restrictions noted above.  Calling the AA contact center numbers in Asia doesn't always work for getting the best info.  They are contract employees and I've had weird experiences with them.  Usually I just use a service like google voice to call the US toll free reservation center.  I usually fly 150k miles a year (often with 10+ pieces of luggage) on them and deal with crazy answers all the time.

I’ll be flying from Seoul and I live in South Korea. I called the Seoul office and that’s their answer, so I’m a little worried. I also called Delta Airlines and they said only USC and green card holders are allowed to enter. 

[JFH 12,191]

16 minutes ago, khans4 said:

I’ll be flying from Seoul and I live in South Korea. I called the Seoul office and that’s their answer, so I’m a little worried. I also called Delta Airlines and they said only USC and green card holders are allowed to enter. 

Fortunately the people who answer the calls in the call center are not the people who check and board passengers all day, every day, at the airport. The call center staff sell tickets, make changes to reservations, cancel tickets, issue refunds. Just as the people at the gate likely don’t know how to issue a ticket or change a ticket, the people on the phones don’t know who can and cannot board. I work for an airline. But I can’t fly a plane or repair a plane. We all do different jobs here. 

[Just Paul 4,595]

43 minutes ago, khans4 said:

I’ll be flying from Seoul and I live in South Korea. I called the Seoul office and that’s their answer, so I’m a little worried. I also called Delta Airlines and they said only USC and green card holders are allowed to enter. 

You won't have an issue from Seoul.  I had a meeting / field trial  with a software engineer that entered on a B1 last week of August.   he was very panicked at first because he though he had to quarantine upon arrival in the US.

[khans4 0]

3 hours ago, JFH said:

Fortunately the people who answer the calls in the call center are not the people who check and board passengers all day, every day, at the airport. The call center staff sell tickets, make changes to reservations, cancel tickets, issue refunds. Just as the people at the gate likely don’t know how to issue a ticket or change a ticket, the people on the phones don’t know who can and cannot board. I work for an airline. But I can’t fly a plane or repair a plane. We all do different jobs here. 

That makes sense! Thank you for the reassurance. 

[khans4 0]

3 hours ago, Paul & Mary said:

You won't have an issue from Seoul.  I had a meeting / field trial  with a software engineer that entered on a B1 last week of August.   he was very panicked at first because he though he had to quarantine upon arrival in the US.

Yeah... I’ve been worrying a lot abt that too. Also recently there are news about 59 countries banning Indonesian travelers, although no official statement has been released yet, rumor has it that the US is in one of them. But reading this forum, I see that even people from covid-banned countries with valid visa still manage to enter the US. So I guess I’ll just have to wait until I board on that plane.

[Just Paul 4,595]

6 minutes ago, khans4 said:

Also recently there are news about 59 countries banning Indonesian travelers, although no official statement has been released yet, rumor has it that the US is in one of them.

No foreign nationals are banned from entering the US based on nationality.  There are visa holders that are banned from entering/transiting certain counties.

 

6 minutes ago, khans4 said:

I see that even people from covid-banned countries with valid visa still manage to enter the US.

Yes - if they have a CR1/CR2/IR1/IR2/IR5/IH4 and certain other family based visas they can still enter directly.  It's kinda hard to follow at times

 

Edited September 12, 2020 by Paul & Mary