9 Year Old Boy has his WDW Trip Ruined

[Corbisblue]

A nine-year-old boy's dream trip to Disney World was ruined when US immigration officials ruled he was a threat

SOURCE

I couldn't imagine the stress this would cause....

 

[snarlingcoyote]

That's horrible! Poor kid! What do they think he's going to do? Run off and start a social networking website?

 

[msmayor]

It may have something to do with the fact that his passport is South African.

The story says he was born in Britain but does not disclose his legal citizenship. I suspect that the issue lies somewhere in resolving his citizenship with his passport.

I don't blame Immigration at all for this.

 

[stephent92]

The problem with the child is that he is of dual nationality. The grandparents had British passports and the child had a South African passport. The grandparents had the appropriate documentation to prove that he was his grandson. Entering a country (even the USA) this way is perfectly legal, however you would understand an immigration official being confused.

I think that it was wrong to send the family back, when background checking would prove that he was 'safe'. I think that it is unfortunate that immigration officials said that he (a 9 year-old boy) was a "Security Risk"

msmayor - he was not withholding his legal citizenship - he has dual citizenship!

 

[Corbisblue]

I'm sure as to why the child didn't have a British passport. Who knows?

 

[cm8]

The problem with the child is that he is of dual nationality. The grandparents had British passports and the child had a South African passport. The grandparents had the appropriate documentation to prove that he was his grandson. Entering a country (even the USA) this way is perfectly legal, however you would understand an immigration official being confused.

I think that it was wrong to send the family back, when background checking would prove that he was 'safe'. I think that it is unfortunate that immigration officials said that he (a 9 year-old boy) was a "Security Risk"

msmayor - he was not withholding his legal citizenship - he has dual citizenship!

, Agreed!

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

In the UK you can have dual citizenship up until the age of 18 when you have to 'choose' which nationality you take forward into adulthood. It doesn't say explicitly but I'm assuming his mother is South African and he was born in the UK so would be entitled to dual citizenship. His grandparents got him a South African passport so he will have needed a visa from the US embassy which has - bizarrely - been denied. What on earth makes them think he won't return home with his grandparents?

 

[Heva2015]

I would need more information on this...for example, are there any family links in the US or is there anything to suggest the grandparents are intending to move to the US....something tells me there is more to this than meets the eye.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

What on earth makes them think he won't return home with his grandparents?

There has been at least one high profile case of grandparents kidnapping their grandchild, with the consent of one parent but not the other, to another country.

I know when I travel with my child internationally, I'm always careful to bring documentation of sole parentage, because otherwise I'll be turned away. I also know that when my mom took me and my brother to Australia, the embassy required copies of my father's death certificate before issue visas. Did these grandparents have convincing documentation that they had the approval of both parents?