Why does this always happen to me!!???

[Joanne_in_London]

OK, so we fly to MCO on Sunday. I've actually almost finished packing, the travels documents all sorted, money changed up, organised our transport to airport, and I'm so so calm!
Then, the thing that always happens to me, disaster strikes at the ninth hour!! (and no - it isn't the dreaded chickenpox that neither of my kids have had, that I know will one day appear the day before we fly). My parents took Billy, our DS who is 5 to WDW at the end of May, so I asked her today for he's passport to put in with ours. When she gave it to me, I opened it and inside was the stub from the Green Visa Waiver Form!!!!
So as far as US Customs are concerned, Billy is still in the USA!!!
After nearly crying on the phone to the poor man at the US Embassy, I have been told to write a letter and send it to a place in Kentucky with the stub, the flight tickets (which my mum never kept) and proof that he has been back in the UK since 6th June. With an adult, this is pretty simple, credit card receipts etc, with a child its more difficult and I have to go to he's school and ask the head teacher to sign a letter. Then keep copies off all the stuff I have sent to show to the nice customs people in the USA - (I honestly have visions of being taken off into a little room and them snapping their rubber gloves on! ).
So now, my calm relaxed mood has turned into a panic crazed woman who will not settle until I get to the suitcases carousel at MCO and I know all is well.
I know there was a thread on here recently, but I didn't take much notice to be honest, has anyone got any advice at all - or at least a bit of sympathy! lol
Jo x

 

[Graeme]

Have some sympathy!

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[lin85prest]

This happened to us once and the man at immigration asked us all these questions but fortunatey it was on a very quiet isand and we had went fron Canada so he let us go. A letter from school shouod be enough

 

[AliceGardner]

Hi

On what date did Billy ENTER the US with his Grandparents? I take it you are talking about May 2007

YES the airline should have collected it. BUT the thing to remember is that the green Visa Waiver forms are valid for 90 days. It is not so much not returning the green stub that gets you into trouble, it is overstaying the 90 days. IF Billy re-enters the US within 90 days of the original entry, there should not be a problem at all...

It is worth taking his return boarding pass (from the last trip), if available, and any other proof that he has been in the UK since his return too. Never hurts to have a "belt and braces" approach

Alice

 

[wayneg]

Jo, I really would try not to worry too much about it, 2 or 3 years ago we still had ours when we got home, next time we went back nothing was said, I wonder how effective their system really is.
Maybe they have tightened security now, but I would just get as much stuff together as you can for proof but I doubt they will even mention it.

 

[jen_uk]

I hope it all works out ok.

 

[clairelly]

Hi Jo

Don't worry, the same thing happened to us this time last year, for our whole family, me, DH and DK x 4!! We wrote the letter you mentioned, photocopied the tickets, boarding passes and a bank statement (think also wage slip?) and sent it recorded delivery. We didn't hear anything back but took copies of everything we had sent to them, including the letter we had written, with us when we travelled out in the August. We didn't experience any problems at all, we just sailed through.

So, don't worry xx

 

[natalielongstaff]

try not too worry, im sure it will be fine

 

[ANTSS2001]

wish I can give some advice.... but I am sure all will be fine....

 

[Toon86]

I would think that their system is not 100% accurate anyway. If you think about the number of foreign nationals that pass through their system every day, month, year....... they must make mistakes. THere must be tickets that HAVE been handed in that are NOT cleared from their system. What happens to these people when they return to the states?

Therefore I think that even if you do nothing then there won't be much of a problem, if any at all.

 

[angel659]

Oh bless you. I am sure you will be fine.

 

[gavvy]

It happens a lot im sure, I would take proof with you that your son returned to the uk such as a school letter or even the boarding cards for the fligh home if you have them, have them ready but dont volinteer the information unless questioned.

If you are going to send the i94w off to the USA make sure you take a phoocopy of it and take it with you.

Ive read on other boards of others handing over the green i94w to immigration in the hall and apart from getting a ticking off nothing else happened, im sure you will be fine.

 

[Joanne_in_London]

Sorry for my rant yesterday, i feel much calmer about the whole thing now, my mum has found the flight ticket stub so thats good news.
Thanks for all your advice/help.
Also, I am aware that Billy is still within the 90 day limit, but the guy at the Embassy said this certainly helps but I still have to follow the same, strict procedure.
Anyway. wish me luck! [/FONT]

 

[ANTSS2001]

Sorry for my rant yesterday, i feel much calmer about the whole thing now, my mum has found the flight ticket stub so thats good news.
Thanks for all your advice/help.
Also, I am aware that Billy is still within the 90 day limit, but the guy at the Embassy said this certainly helps but I still have to follow the same, strict procedure.
Anyway. wish me luck! [/FONT]

well glad to know you have semi stop worrying... look at the bright side your DS is only 5 ... def'ly to young for employment so no way they will be thinking of anything but!