Wish Us Luck! (and assuage my fears, please!)

[Rhiannon 0]

We could use y'all's good energy - my fiance is leaving Ireland tomorrow to meet me in Pittsburgh - I'm up with a late night attack of the panics that he'll get denied at Shannon - He's planning on stating clearly that his intent is to marry me and then go to school in Canada - he's got with him:

- mortgage on apartment in Scotland (where he lived before)

- student visa for school program in Canada where he'll be attending from Sept - May

- acceptance letter for said program

- one way plane ticket to Canada (four weeks hence)

I just read on the Visa Waiver Program page (Department of State) that one of the requirements is a roundtrip ticket or a ticket to a "territory not boarding the United States", and now i'm really nervous - does that include Canada or are they talking about a US territory like Puerto Rico? He does not yet have a ticket to Ireland, as he will wait to see when his interview will be after we successfully file...

Please help assuage my fears! We've exhaustively researched this website ahead of time for this plan (except obviously the VWP website, which I didn't think of until just now...)

Thanks!

Rhiannon

[rebeccajo 14]

What 'requirements' are you looking at? This? (from travel.state.gov)

* They have complied with the conditions of previous admissions under the Visa Waiver Program, and have not been found ineligible for a U.S. visa; and

* If arriving by air or sea, they are traveling on an approved carrier (almost all major airlines and cruise ship companies are currently approved carriers - copies of carrier lists may be requested from the Department of Homeland Security’s National Fines Office at 1525 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA. 22209), and have a return trip ticket to any foreign destination.*; or

* They can demonstrate the intent to stay 90 days or less in the United States and demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves while in the United States. Learn more on the CBP website.

Discretion for admittance to the US is always in the hands of the CBP officer. But you are fretting over the second stipulation and not looking at the third. If your fiance' has the proof you say he does of going onto Canada (and he smiles sweetly at the officer) he should pass muster.

PS - I don't think it will be Shannon where he encounters the CBP - depending on his route it will either be Dublin or his first stopping point in the US. At either rate, Good Luck to you both and post back to us tomorrow!

Edited August 5, 2007 by rebeccajo

[Rhiannon 0]

What 'requirements' are you looking at? This? (from travel.state.gov)

* They have complied with the conditions of previous admissions under the Visa Waiver Program, and have not been found ineligible for a U.S. visa; and

* If arriving by air or sea, they are traveling on an approved carrier (almost all major airlines and cruise ship companies are currently approved carriers - copies of carrier lists may be requested from the Department of Homeland Security’s National Fines Office at 1525 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA. 22209), and have a return trip ticket to any foreign destination.*; or

* They can demonstrate the intent to stay 90 days or less in the United States and demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves while in the United States. Learn more on the CBP website.

Discretion for admittance to the US is always in the hands of the CBP officer. But you are fretting over the second stipulation and not looking at the third. If your fiance' has the proof you say he does of going onto Canada (and he smiles sweetly at the officer) he should pass muster.

PS - I don't think it will be Shannon where he encounters the CBP - depending on his route it will either be Dublin or his first stopping point in the US. At either rate, Good Luck to you both and post back to us tomorrow!

Thanks so much! it was at Shannon (before he got on the plane), and he did get through! I was up in the middle of the night waiting for the email...It's been four months since I've seen him, not to mention the wedding that's scheduled Sept1 that I've been planning since January...I think I would have been a pathetic pile had he not made it through--

Thanks for your reassurance, it helped me get to sleep!

10 hours and counting down,

Rhiannon

[pushbrk 12,883]

What 'requirements' are you looking at? This? (from travel.state.gov)

* They have complied with the conditions of previous admissions under the Visa Waiver Program, and have not been found ineligible for a U.S. visa; and

* If arriving by air or sea, they are traveling on an approved carrier (almost all major airlines and cruise ship companies are currently approved carriers - copies of carrier lists may be requested from the Department of Homeland Security’s National Fines Office at 1525 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA. 22209), and have a return trip ticket to any foreign destination.*; or

* They can demonstrate the intent to stay 90 days or less in the United States and demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves while in the United States. Learn more on the CBP website.

Discretion for admittance to the US is always in the hands of the CBP officer. But you are fretting over the second stipulation and not looking at the third. If your fiance' has the proof you say he does of going onto Canada (and he smiles sweetly at the officer) he should pass muster.

PS - I don't think it will be Shannon where he encounters the CBP - depending on his route it will either be Dublin or his first stopping point in the US. At either rate, Good Luck to you both and post back to us tomorrow!

Thanks so much! it was at Shannon (before he got on the plane), and he did get through! I was up in the middle of the night waiting for the email...It's been four months since I've seen him, not to mention the wedding that's scheduled Sept1 that I've been planning since January...I think I would have been a pathetic pile had he not made it through--

Thanks for your reassurance, it helped me get to sleep!

10 hours and counting down,

Rhiannon

Congratulations. When you have the details and come up for air, a report of his experience including what he told the CBP officer and how it was handled would be helpful.

[rebeccajo 14]

Yes, let us know how the rest goes. Where does he stop before he comes into Pittsburgh? I always picked my husband up at Pittsburgh - it's so confusing how they can come through one of two exits. I always felt like I was at a tennis match as I tried to find him amongst the other passengers.

[misa 2]

Congrats! Definitely let us know the details on how it went at the POE with him (details) and have fun.

Edited August 5, 2007 by misa

[Rhiannon 0]

Congrats! Definitely let us know the details on how it went at the POE with him (details) and have fun.

thanks everyone - will post as soon as we get a chance...i'm STILL in Rhode Island after my first flight was cancelled and now this one is delayed ... it's like, after 4 months what does an extra three hours matter? well i find ALOT!

fingers crossed now that I even get to see him today...

Rhiannon