Flying into the US

[Disfan01 9]

3 hours ago, LexieJ said:

My niece flew here from the Philippines as unaccompanied minor and she was 12 then(flight was 13 hours non-stop from Manila to San Francisco) she did fine, there's unaccompanied minor services with the airlines that you can arrange, maybe look into this option if mom could not take him here. The airline staff accompanied her all the time until we met her at the arrival area in San Francisco. Something to look into as another option. She was petitioned by my ex sister in law/step mom as LPR.

Thanks so much.  When we discussed it before, his mom wasn’t on board with the idea of sending him unaccompanied minor.  He’s done it in SA plenty, but it’s a whole other ball game internationally, especially if there’s a layover in another country with everyone having their own Covid restrictions and requirements. It may be an option if we get him to Joburg first and then there is a direct flight to Newark we could meet him at. Still thinking going through CBP on his own would be pretty stressful. Do the attendants stay with them through that and out to meet the parents?

[Disfan01 9]

10 hours ago, HRQX said:

I forgot to ask if your son also has a tourist visa for an above mentioned country (i.e. Mexico, US, Canada, etc.) in order to enter Mexico.

He does currently have a multiple entry US visitors visa, as does his mom. Would his new immigrant visa invalidate his US visitors visa that would allow him into Mexico?

[LexieJ 44]

3 hours ago, Disfan01 said:

Thanks so much.  When we discussed it before, his mom wasn’t on board with the idea of sending him unaccompanied minor.  He’s done it in SA plenty, but it’s a whole other ball game internationally, especially if there’s a layover in another country with everyone having their own Covid restrictions and requirements. It may be an option if we get him to Joburg first and then there is a direct flight to Newark we could meet him at. Still thinking going through CBP on his own would be pretty stressful. Do the attendants stay with them through that and out to meet the parents?

This was her first time travelling unaccompanied and she did surprisingly well, the airline staff was almost with her the entire time(well not quite the entire time because during the flight no one was sitting beside her but she was being constantly checked on) and when she landed in  SFO they also helped her with customs and immigration and we didn't do anything until we meet her outside the meeting area at the airport. 

[HRQX 4,145]

You should probably ask the Mexican embassy/consulate if your son's Immigrant Visa is sufficient. For example, the following 2 pages say "valid and unexpired visa" but don't specify visa types:

• https://www.gob.mx/tramites/ficha/internacion-al-territorio-nacional-de-personas-extranjeras-que-no-requieren-visa/INM629 (Spanish)
• https://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/word/index.php/paises-requieren-visa-para-mexico/ (Spanish)

3 hours ago, Disfan01 said:

Would his new immigrant visa invalidate his US visitors visa that would allow him into Mexico?

Not automatically. Just note that sometimes the Consular Officer stamps "Cancelled" on the tourist visa when issuing the Immigrant Visa. But that doesn't always happen; so he could have 2 valid visas after his interview.

 

Edited July 20, 2021 by HRQX

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

4 hours ago, Disfan01 said:

Thanks so much.  When we discussed it before, his mom wasn’t on board with the idea of sending him unaccompanied minor.  He’s done it in SA plenty, but it’s a whole other ball game internationally, especially if there’s a layover in another country with everyone having their own Covid restrictions and requirements. It may be an option if we get him to Joburg first and then there is a direct flight to Newark we could meet him at. Still thinking going through CBP on his own would be pretty stressful. Do the attendants stay with them through that and out to meet the parents?

I personally think that direct to Newark from JNB makes more sense than spending two weeks in Mexico, especially if mom is time limited? CBP is not going to be a problem especially with an immigrant visa.

 

 

4 hours ago, Disfan01 said:

He does currently have a multiple entry US visitors visa, as does his mom. Would his new immigrant visa invalidate his US visitors visa that would allow him into Mexico?.  

Edited July 20, 2021 by SusieQQQ

[HRQX 4,145]

18 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

I personally think that direct to Newark from JNB

And after he flies solo and enters Newark with the Immigrant Visa then she'll meet the following exception: "any noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21"

Edited July 20, 2021 by HRQX

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

4 minutes ago, HRQX said:

And after he flies solo and enters Newark with the Immigrant Visa then she'll meet the following exception: "any noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21"

Yes, so mom can follow pretty much the next day. 
 

OP - if doing it this way, also tell mom to get to the airport early for her flight to present the evidence of kid being a LPR. Not all airline staff are going to understand that the kid’s endorsed visa is a temporary green card so she may need extra time to escalate to a supervisor/insist they contact their CBP liaison, etc. 

[Disfan01 9]

It sounds like the direct unaccompanied minor flight may be our best option then if we can all get on board with that.  Do you guys know what she will need as proof of being the parent of an LPR then?  Just a copy of his passport stamp, visa, and passport, and birth certificate?  Will an emailed copy of the stamp in his passport be sufficient?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

17 minutes ago, Disfan01 said:

It sounds like the direct unaccompanied minor flight may be our best option then if we can all get on board with that.  Do you guys know what she will need as proof of being the parent of an LPR then?  Just a copy of his passport stamp, visa, and passport, and birth certificate?  Will an emailed copy of the stamp in his passport be sufficient?

It should be sufficient - I don’t believe it (the copy of the passport stamp) needs to be notarized but it may be better if it is. I would also actually include a copy of the CBP manual page that notes that the stamped immigrant visa is evidence of LPR status. https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Mar/2019 Carrier Information Guide - ENGLISH.pdf Page 40 of the pdf/numbered page 32 of the document 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2021 by SusieQQQ

[Disfan01 9]

Great, thanks so much for all your help.  You guys are truly amazing!