liviboy

Just reading the papers and came across a story of a honeymooning couple who were denied entry to the US at LAX.

They were denied entry on ESTA (wife) and B2 Visa (hubby) (had to apply due to "ESTA Issues") and stamped INA 217 R27002.

I can't see any reference as to the R27002 annotation and wondered if anyone here knew what it referred to?

I also struggled to decipher the revocation remark on the visa but wondered if anybody here was more "in the know" at understanding these numbers?

Just curious really :-)

Thanks

Link to article: Metro (has images of Visa and refusal stamps)
http://metro.co.uk/2017/07/25/couple...uslim-6803939/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...om-entering-us

shiversaint

I can't find any reference to the R27002 number either, and of course NIA 217 gives plenty of potential reasons for him to be denied entry.

My guess would be is he a) couldn't get an ESTA for one of the many possible reasons b) wasn't entirely truthful with the Embassy c) cracked under pressure when CPB questioned him at the border and finally d) hasn't told his new wife what was said in private to him by CPB officers.

Speculation of course, but we know by and large, despite the CPB having the power they do, they are in general reasonable people that simply follow the letter of the law. The B2 holder being booted out without reason seems highly unlikely.

ian-mstm

I'd also call myself Ali if my given name was Ufuk... but I'm sure that had nothing to do with it.

His visa was revoked under 22 CFR 41.122 (e)(3) - and his application for admission was withdrawn.

I think R27002 has nothing to do with the INA. It's more like some sort of control number from DHS.

Ian

Pulaski

The "217" is in her passport not his - section 217 relates entirely to the VWP so can't relate to his passport because he has the B2 visa, and if you look closely at the two passport pictures you can see enough of the passport number punched (holes) through the right side of the passport pages in the picture, to see that they are different numbers. I agree with Ian, the R# is likely a sequential number assigned to the "case" - perhaps R is for "Revokation".

I suspect that his visa was revoked for something related to his Turkish nationality/ place of birth, and perhaps that it wasn't fully or properly disclosed when he applied for his visa.

fbf2006

I don't know, seems highly likely to me. I can see CBP not explaining precisely why one is not being admitted into the US. Same way, consular officers don't typically explain why visas are refused. They just stamp your passports with the relevant section of the law they are using to refuse you entry or deny you a visa. So to the individual that it affects, it seems like there is no real reason.

bewildering

This story is odd.

Apparently, the groom tried to go to the USA for his bachelor party as well. His best man applied for the ESTA 10 times on behalf of a group and was refused each time. The interesting thing is that the groom then applied for a B visa for his honeymoon. Seems he really wanted to go to the USA. The odd thing is that the embassy said yes, but the CBP said no.

liviboy

Thanks all for the replies.

Very interesting. Definitely agree that something is up that wasn't reported in the press.

Apologies for the really late reply as well, my Vodafone sim gave up the ghost so had to wait on the replacement coming!

scrubbedexpat099

You do not group apply for ESTA, and all of them were refused?.

I agree something very odd and the 'story' is missing the information to come to a sensible conclusion.

christmasoompa

You can apply as a group. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...-of-applicants

HTH.

scrubbedexpat099

That seems to be a group payment application, each case is individual.