Airlines to choose when waiting for removal of conditions

[LaLaRI 33]

Hello,

 

I read somewhere here that some airlines do not know of the paper that extends the legality of the 2 year green card holder. We filed back in Feb of 2022 for removal of condition, as of today it just shows finger prints accepted. What airlines should we stay out of when going home to PHILIPPINES to avoid issues with customs and when it comes to just have the temp GC with the paper confirmation of 2 years extension? Thank you! 

[Ontarkie 14,193]

~~Moved to Working and Traveling, form AOS from K1~~

[EatBulaga 315]

1 hour ago, LaLaRI said:

Hello,

 

I read somewhere here that some airlines do not know of the paper that extends the legality of the 2 year green card holder. We filed back in Feb of 2022 for removal of condition, as of today it just shows finger prints accepted. What airlines should we stay out of when going home to PHILIPPINES to avoid issues with customs and when it comes to just have the temp GC with the paper confirmation of 2 years extension? Thank you! 

I wouldn't list any particular airline for having gate agents not totally trained to recognize the various US visa types, because there may be too many visa restrictions for all the countries that the airline serve.

In general, most agents are probably more cautious about visas on weak passports compared to those with strong passports since airlines assume the cost in the case the traveler is rejected by the country's border control.

https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking

Yes, I think this is blatant discrimination, but that is a discussion for another forum.

 

Most international flight reservation systems that I've encountered can save and upload passport information, but not many will save visa information.

So for example technically, K1 visa can enter the US on a one-way ticket.

But to avoid too much gate agent hassles, I recommend to call the airline reservation after buying the flight, to make note of the visa and the one-way ticket, so the gate agent is prepped to accept like what I did.

https://www.visajourney.com/reviews/view-poe-reviews.php?entry=17325

I think that will be the best course of action if you partner has a weak passport instead of avoiding airlines.

Edited January 22, 2023 by EatBulaga

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, LaLaRI said:

What airlines should we stay out of when going home to PHILIPPINES to avoid issues with customs and when it comes to just have the temp GC with the paper confirmation of 2 years extension?

Delta. Turkish, Spirit

 

reference:

 

 

 

[Loren Y 2,755]

Print and take a copy of this letter. I have schooled personally more airlines than I can count, and won many a legal action against them when they didn't board my spouse when legally required to. I won so much money in one case it has covered every dollar and then some for what I have ever paid in immigration costs over the years. Just arrive early to the airport, and have a good attorney on retainer.

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2021-Dec/Reminder- LPR Boarding 20210305.pdf

 

Knowledge is power... wield it appropriately as required.

[Family 3,988]

1 minute ago, Loren Y said:

have schooled personally more airlines than I can count, and won many a legal action against them when they didn't board my spouse when legally required to. I won so much money in one case it has covered every dollar and then some for what I have ever paid in immigration costs over the years. Just arrive early to the airport, and have a good attorney on retainer.

Feel free to recommend your very skilled attorney..many a weary traveler will bless you, I’m sure

[Loren Y 2,755]

1 minute ago, Family said:

Feel free to recommend your very skilled attorney..many a weary traveler will bless you, I’m sure

Only once has it had to be taken to legal action. I have missed flights due to incompetence of airline employees from multiple airlines, I can't really pinpoint any airline, they all have to hire employees, most will fold once it gets high enough up the chain at the ticket counter, if not I have received many an upgrade and compensation. I think it would be more of a country specific problem than airline problem. The Philippines I would think would be one of the best countries to fly out of. I have been thru there many times without issues, and considering they have an average  of around 25% of K-1's issued every year, I would think they see more temp green cards and extension letters than any other country on this earth. They would rank very low in my opinion as a possibility of having an issue with any airline that fly's from there to the US, just based on the fact they see the Cards and letters more than anyone else.

[Loren Y 2,755]

Older chart, but you get the idea..... 2019

 

 

[Mike E 11,739]

31 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

when they didn't board my spouse when legally required to

So tell please?

[Loren Y 2,755]

1 minute ago, Mike E said:

So tell please?

It was China Eastern airlines from BKK to LAX. As a note, I have never flown them since, but uses to use them all the time because they were so cheap for me to go to Thailand all the time ( Cheap because they were Subsidized by the China government I had found out among other things). They literally would no board my wife with her extension letter and green card that just expired in February, and we were traveling in March I think it was, but had the extension letter. I ended up booking another airline completely for 2 tickets last minute for over 3k as I recall ( got some serious points from Chase on that one), and then had to fight tooth and nail involving the IATA and all sorts of other agencies. Attorney handled most of it, but I will say it took a lot. a little over a year later after the incident and with China Eastern being threatened to lose the ability to land and operate at BKK airport, they paid up covering costs and legal fees, but it was a nightmare that should never had happened, and I don't recommend getting in a fight with any airline based in China, because China thinks international rules don't apply to them, but it can be done.

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

2 hours ago, EatBulaga said:

I wouldn't list any particular airline for having gate agents not totally trained to recognize the various US visa types, because there may be too many visa restrictions for all the countries that the airline serve.

In general, most agents are probably more cautious about visas on weak passports compared to those with strong passports since airlines assume the cost in the case the traveler is rejected by the country's border control.

https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking

Yes, I think this is blatant discrimination, but that is a discussion for another forum.

 

Most international flight reservation systems that I've encountered can save and upload passport information, but not many will save visa information.

So for example technically, K1 visa can enter the US on a one-way ticket.

But to avoid too much gate agent hassles, I recommend to call the airline reservation after buying the flight, to make note of the visa and the one-way ticket, so the gate agent is prepped to accept like what I did.

https://www.visajourney.com/reviews/view-poe-reviews.php?entry=17325

I think that will be the best course of action if you partner has a weak passport instead of avoiding airlines.

It's not about flying with a K1. It's about traveling on the RoC extension letter with expired conditional greencard.

[EatBulaga 315]

13 minutes ago, Letspaintcookies said:

It's not about flying with a K1. It's about traveling on the RoC extension letter with expired conditional greencard.

Yes. I would do the same and call the airline after purchasing the flight to make a note to the gate agent on the flight reservation the traveler has an RoC extension letter as proof for US entry.

 

Most flight reservation system has a field to make special notes with special conditions. Doesn't hurt to make that note so the gate agent is prepped.

Edited January 23, 2023 by EatBulaga

[Dashinka 24,448]

10 hours ago, Loren Y said:

It was China Eastern airlines from BKK to LAX. As a note, I have never flown them since, but uses to use them all the time because they were so cheap for me to go to Thailand all the time ( Cheap because they were Subsidized by the China government I had found out among other things). They literally would no board my wife with her extension letter and green card that just expired in February, and we were traveling in March I think it was, but had the extension letter. I ended up booking another airline completely for 2 tickets last minute for over 3k as I recall ( got some serious points from Chase on that one), and then had to fight tooth and nail involving the IATA and all sorts of other agencies. Attorney handled most of it, but I will say it took a lot. a little over a year later after the incident and with China Eastern being threatened to lose the ability to land and operate at BKK airport, they paid up covering costs and legal fees, but it was a nightmare that should never had happened, and I don't recommend getting in a fight with any airline based in China, because China thinks international rules don't apply to them, but it can be done.

That is interesting.  My wife's only questions when traveling with her expired GC and EL was when traveling from PEK to DTW via Delta.  The local check-in clerk was not familiar with the EL and asked to keep it.  Luckily we had a few copies with us, and gave her one of those, and my wife was allowed to proceed.  This is one of the reasons I always recommend those traveling on the EL make a few copies although I have not heard of anyone else being asked to hand over the letter at check-in.  It is interesting, the CBP link you provided referenced the 18 month EL, back in March of 2021, I guess this needs to be updated. 

 

 

To the OP, using the US CBP Carrier guide is always a good idea.  We downloaded a copy of the PDF on our phones just in case.  Airlines bringing folks to the US should be following this to a tee.

 

B. U.S. RESIDENTS — must provide one of the following:

• Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551

• Expired Conditional Resident Card, Form I-551 accompanied by Form I-797, Notice of Action indicating the card validity is extended

 

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Mar/2019 Carrier Information Guide - ENGLISH.pdf

[rebnoe 31]

I would travel with the letter without worry if I were you. Arrive to the airport very early as to not miss you flight, because all of the times I traveled on the extension letter my time at the counter doubled. The gate agents often had trouble entering in the information to the system (I think they struggled with expiration date) but I never had a problem, other than just having to wait extra moments while they processed.

[Mike E 11,739]

 

1 hour ago, Dashinka said:

My wife's only questions when traveling with her expired GC and EL was when traveling from PEK to DTW via Delta.  The local check-in clerk was not familiar with the EL and asked to keep it.

So now we have two data points for why LPRs with irregular I-551s should not fly Delta. This is called a pattern   

Edited January 23, 2023 by Mike E