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Lyz

British Airway refused daughter boarding with I-551 stamp

By Lyz in Working & Traveling During US Immigration

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Lyz   29

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Hi all,

My daughter was traveling back from Kenya with British Airways. She has an I-551 stamp in her passport. The officer who stamped it had asked her not to use her expired green card and extension anymore as this had been replaced by the stamp. She traveled through Heathrow to Nairobi with the same documents with no issue, but a few days ago in Nairobi, BA personnel refused to check her in, claiming that the stamp is a wet stamp and is not acceptable in Britain. We are really at a loss on how to proceed, other than to buy a new ticket on a different airline (money we can't really spare). My son had traveled through Denmark and France in December with the same stamp with no issue at all. Does anyone know anything about wet stamp or why she cannot travel through the UK yet the USCIS said she could work and travel using this stamp? Any suggestion on how to resolve this is welcome. Thanks

PS someone in another forum said they were denied boarding to the US with the stamp and were deported back to Kenya. They had to use a different airline altogether.

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Boiler
Boiler

You can travel with it, but the US does not control other countries Immigration Policies, I presume there is no UK visa.

Boiler
Boiler

I do not see what BA did wrong.

TBoneTX
TBoneTX

Thread is moved from General Immigration Discussion to the Working & Traveling forum -- topic is travel. Keep escalating to supervisor after supervisor, and if they continue to resist, dema

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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,273

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Thread is moved from General Immigration Discussion to the Working & Traveling forum -- topic is travel.

4 minutes ago, Lyz said:

in Nairobi, BA personnel refused to check her in

Keep escalating to supervisor after supervisor, and if they continue to resist, demand that they call BA headquarters.

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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OldUser Veteran

OldUser   6,643

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21 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Thread is moved from General Immigration Discussion to the Working & Traveling forum -- topic is travel.

Keep escalating to supervisor after supervisor, and if they continue to resist, demand that they call BA headquarters.

I think airline staff is right this time. Citizens of Kenya cannot transit via UK without visa or valid GC or GC + extension letter. Stamp is not valid.

 

 

20240428_185912.jpg

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Lyz Contributor

Lyz   29

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28 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Thread is moved from General Immigration Discussion to the Working & Traveling forum -- topic is travel.

Keep escalating to supervisor after supervisor, and if they continue to resist, demand that they call BA headquarters.

We have been calling and calling and getting taken round in circles

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Boiler Grand Master

Boiler   45,486

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Just now, Lyz said:

We have been calling and calling and getting taken round in circles

The issue is not what the US will accept, I assume the child does not have a UK visa.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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OldUser Veteran

OldUser   6,643

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34 minutes ago, Lyz said:

Does anyone know anything about wet stamp or why she cannot travel through the UK yet the USCIS said she could work and travel using this stamp?

US cannot set the rules for other countries. UK doesn't seem to allow transit with the stamp.

 

35 minutes ago, Lyz said:

Any suggestion on how to resolve this is welcome.

Travel through different country that accepts I-551 stamp for transit.

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Lyz Contributor

Lyz   29

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Why would the USCIS issue a document, take away the physical green card and assure us we can travel with it if we can't? That is the only travel document she has from the US so I don't know who dropped the ball here. Super frustrating

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Lyz Contributor

Lyz   29

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1 minute ago, Boiler said:

The issue is not what the US will accept, I assume the child does not have a UK visa.

If one is a permanent resident of the US they do not need a visa to the UK. The stamp is supposed to serve as her GC. They actually took away her expired physical GC

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Boiler Grand Master

Boiler   45,486

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Just now, Lyz said:

Why would the USCIS issue a document, take away the physical green card and assure us we can travel with it if we can't? That is the only travel document she has from the US so I don't know who dropped the ball here. Super frustrating

You can travel with it, but the US does not control other countries Immigration Policies, I presume there is no UK visa.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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OldUser   6,643

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Just now, Lyz said:

If one is a permanent resident of the US they do not need a visa to the UK. The stamp is supposed to serve as her GC. They actually took away her expired physical GC

Did you see the screenshot I posted? It's from UK government website. They set the rules who and how can transit through their country. They do not accept wet I-551 stamp.

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Lyz Contributor

Lyz   29

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3 minutes ago, OldUser said:

US cannot set the rules for other countries. UK doesn't seem to allow transit with the stamp.

 

Travel through different country that accepts I-551 stamp for transit.

We probably have to do this but it is so unfair to be assured by US immigration that we can use this as a travel document just for it to be rejected. Traveling through a different country means we have to cough up at least $800 on short notice

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Boiler Grand Master

Boiler   45,486

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It can be used as a travel document. You will be using it as a travel document,

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Lyz Contributor

Lyz   29

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1 minute ago, OldUser said:

Did you see the screenshot I posted? It's from UK government website. They set the rules who and how can transit through their country. They do not accept wet I-551 stamp.

Wow! Thank you! I wish we had known this. The officers should probably let people keep their expired GC till naturalization just in case of such issues

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Lyz Contributor

Lyz   29

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13 minutes ago, OldUser said:

I think airline staff is right this time. Citizens of Kenya cannot transit via UK without visa or valid GC or GC + extension letter. Stamp is not valid.

 

 

20240428_185912.jpg

Thank you

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