Getting nervous regarding immigrations

[Disneytinker]

Hi I was wondering whether anyone can give me any advice. I have booked to go to Florida for next year, and we have previously been there ten years ago. On the day of our departure we handed in our I-94 document and boarded the plane. When we were on the runway something was wrong with the plane and we were all told to disembark. We ended up not being able to fly home that day as the plane was broke.

The next day we were allowed to board another plan, now this is the part I am worried about. We were asked for our 1-94 document before boarding the plane home, and we did not have the document as it was not returned to us the day before when we originally handed it in.

We explained what happened yesterday that we handed the document in and then our plane was cancelled etc, and then we were allowed on the plane to go home.

Now that we are returning, this document popped into my head and I researched it and it stated that it was important to hand this document back in when leaving.

I have recently rang the US embassy to explain what happened and to see whether I should do anything and whether we might have trouble re-entering the US. She said that there should not be able problems as it was an airline error, and to just take some documents with us to prove that we were in the UK after arriving back home.

Myself and my husband have ordered copies of our bank and credit card statements from the date we returned home until a few months into the year.
My husband has also contacted the Inland Revenue and they are going to send him a copy of his earnings / tax code etc for the year we were on holiday and the following year thus showing he was working in the UK.

I am still so scared though even though she said it should not be a problem and we did originally hand in the document. Has this ever happened to anyone and was everything ok, or do you think that I should be worried?


I am so scared of arriving there and then being turned away for something that was not our fault

Sorry for the huge post

Mandy x

 

[wayneg]

It really is something for you not to worry about. You did what you could. I wouldn't have given it another thought after handing them in.

I have now brought 2 lots of the stubs home and thrown them away(both over 10 years ago) been back numerous times no problem. If anything had been said I would just blame the airline for losing them, they have no idea.
The system is pretty much useless and exactly why they are changing (eventually) to ESTA.

 

[Disneytinker]

Aw thank you so much for your post, i have been so worried and stressed. Its good to know that you have been back after taking them home

 

[wayneg]

Its not the best idea to bring them home and you should send them in with the correct documentation but its a long time ago and now make sure we hand them in. Its just not a great system, they can't prove if you handed them in or not.

 

[Disneytinker]

yea your right, and you are right about it being flawed as we did hand them in the first time, they just did not give us them back thanks again

 

[catherine]

I really wouldn't worry about it, I don't think that it's that big a deal. I've also had stubs that've not been handed in and I travel backwards and forwards to the US and have never had a problem!

 

[Disneytinker]

Thanks Catherine, think i will sleep better tonight lol. It had been worrying me and i feel so much better now

 

[Netty]

I really wouldn't worry about it, I don't think that it's that big a deal. I've also had stubs that've not been handed in and I travel backwards and forwards to the US and have never had a problem!

same here, its happened quite a few times to us, and we have never and never will have a problem getting into the usa, so dont worry about it at all

 

[Disneytinker]

Thanks Netty now ime all exited again

 

[kevin harrison]

Hi I was wondering whether anyone can give me any advice. I have booked to go to Florida for next year, and we have previously been there ten years ago. On the day of our departure we handed in our I-94 document and boarded the plane. When we were on the runway something was wrong with the plane and we were all told to disembark. We ended up not being able to fly home that day as the plane was broke.

The next day we were allowed to board another plan, now this is the part I am worried about. We were asked for our 1-94 document before boarding the plane home, and we did not have the document as it was not returned to us the day before when we originally handed it in.

We explained what happened yesterday that we handed the document in and then our plane was cancelled etc, and then we were allowed on the plane to go home.

Now that we are returning, this document popped into my head and I researched it and it stated that it was important to hand this document back in when leaving.

I have recently rang the US embassy to explain what happened and to see whether I should do anything and whether we might have trouble re-entering the US. She said that there should not be able problems as it was an airline error, and to just take some documents with us to prove that we were in the UK after arriving back home.

Myself and my husband have ordered copies of our bank and credit card statements from the date we returned home until a few months into the year.
My husband has also contacted the Inland Revenue and they are going to send him a copy of his earnings / tax code etc for the year we were on holiday and the following year thus showing he was working in the UK.

I am still so scared though even though she said it should not be a problem and we did originally hand in the document. Has this ever happened to anyone and was everything ok, or do you think that I should be worried?


I am so scared of arriving there and then being turned away for something that was not our fault

Sorry for the huge post

Mandy x

If it all goes wrong, make sure you don't get put in Sing Sing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing_Sing

 

[Disneytinker]

lol

 

[disneyholic family]

i see everyone else has already answered, but just to confirm, don't worry about it..
there is no problem...

the US system is very messed up - basically, your arrival on a plane from overseas is proof that you were overseas...

despite that form that you hand in, there isn't a formal system for recording who leaves the US, only who arrives....stupid yes, but that's the system.

they are currently testing a system that would actually record who's leaving, but as of now it doesn't exist..
i'm not sure what is actually done with that form that you hand in, but it's not part of any formal system to record who leaves......

 

[Disneytinker]

i see everyone else has already answered, but just to confirm, don't worry about it..
there is no problem...

the US system is very messed up - basically, your arrival on a plane from overseas is proof that you were overseas...

despite that form that you hand in, there isn't a formal system for recording who leaves the US, only who arrives....stupid yes, but that's the system.

they are currently testing a system that would actually record who's leaving, but as of now it doesn't exist..
i'm not sure what is actually done with that form that you hand in, but it's not part of any formal system to record who leaves......

Thanks so much, its funny how something can just really weigh on your mind, i am so happy now and feel like i can really enjoy the countdown i really do appreciate all your responses

 

[Mermaid2sea]

It happended to us once....and we've back since....

 

[igk]

Something related to this happened to us recently.
We flew to Los Angeles a few weeks ago with American Airlines, and onboard the flight attendants said the green I94W forms weren't needed any more. I wasn't taking any chances so filled them in anyway. When we got to immigration at LAX the officer took the forms from us and put them on his desk and didn't look at them or give us the tear-off portions. I asked about that and he said they didn't use them any more, so I asked was that all over the US and he said just certain flights.

Anyway we were in Arizona (Yuma) and from there you can visit the Mexican border town of Los Algodones. You park on the US side and walk over. We did this. Just to be on the safe side I asked the US immigration officer before I went that being British, was there any problem with us going to Mexico. He asked where the green forms were. I explained and he said "You'll need them to get back in" He then took my passport into his office and chatted with someone for a while, then came back and told me it was OK and we could go. On the way back it was the same guy and he was perfectly fine, saying "You made it back!".

When we left LAX after 6 days delay and a switch to a BA flight, the check-in person also asked for the green forms, but shrugged when I explained.

After we got back to the UK I emailed the CBP with my concerns, and they replied"

Thank you for contacting the CBP INFO Center online.

Simply keep the boarding passes for the flight out of the U.S. When you return to the U.S. for a visit, take them with you should the admitting CBP Officer question your previous departure. Also, you may ask the airline to provide a letter confirming that you were on that departing flight. In the future, do not allow anyone to take your I-94W unless you are departing the U.S. for good. You may always ask for a supervisory officer if the first line officer insists on taking your I-94W when you are returning to the U.S.

So - we'll take the boarding cards with us. The whole thing does seem a bit of a muddle...

 

[disneyholic family]

double post

 

[disneyholic family]

The whole thing does seem a bit of a muddle...

exactly!!

 

[lin85prest]

Personally I would take proof that you had not been resident in the USA. Once when we went from Canada on a thousand island tour and landed on an American island we were questioned as they had no proof we had left the USA on a previous visit, they did eventually believe us but it was very time consuming.

 

[disneyholic family]

Personally I would take proof that you had not been resident in the USA. Once when we went from Canada on a thousand island tour and landed on an American island we were questioned as they had no proof we had left the USA on a previous visit, they did eventually believe us but it was very time consuming.

that's just the idiots on the us/canada border (there are many of them)...
they rarely encounter true foreigners and so have no clue as to how the system works..

NO ONE has proof that they've left the US - your passport isn't stamped...
neither is an american passport...
americans also have no proof as to when they leave the US, only when they enter...

that's the system.....the US only records entries, not exits...
makes you wonder what all that patriot act stuff is about doesn't it...when they don't even have a clue who's in and who's out...

 

[Disneytinker]

Thanks again everyone, have just show DH the post and he said he you can relax now lol