Zoe Bell

Ok , could use some help with a VWP question, I think I have all the relevant details

I book travel for various people at the school I work in ( in Canada)
most the people I work with are Canadian Citizens, however some of our students are international student

I have one student who has an Austrian passport, I went online to apply fo her ESTA ( I'm booking flights for her to the States)

I have discovered an I94W from a previous trip to the states ( they went by bus , land border no ESTA, border didn't remove it from her passport)

Is this going to be a problem , it expires on June 3rd. I need to book flights for a trip for her on Jun 15th.

Technically The US have no record of her leaving, I know you can mail the I94W but I believe I don't have enough time to sort this


She will be travelling with faculty ( my boss) , not her parents. What should I tell them?

Any help/advice appreciated

Z

crg

In general, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. She could either take a visit over to the US for lunch before it expires, and turn it in on the way out, or mail it in. Either way, she should travel with proof of the prior timely departure.

Zoe Bell

Normally I wouldn't be worried but she's a minor and I'm responsible for booking her travel arrangments

the mailing it in concerns me because I'm fairly certain it can take a stupidly long period of time for them to process it

as for proof of timely departure , she's a school kid. Would travelling with teachers who can account for her presence in class be enough or should I print out her attendance file?

Thanks for the input

z

ian-mstm

Ah... here's the misunderstanding. They don't "process" anything. All they do is receive the I-94Ws that people mail to them. Once they have them, they don't actually do anything with them.


Either will work. She needs proof that she was someplace other than the US... if attendance records at school demonstrate that, then no worries.

Ian

Zoe Bell

Ian , thank you that reassures me a lot

So heres my plan, let me know if you see anything wrong with it

1) print out a copy of her attendance report
2) prewarn the teachers that there MAY be an issue
3) instruct the teachers not to volunteer any more info than needed but arm them with attendance report if required
4) cross fingers !

So should I even bother mailing the I94W back ?

Should I keep it in her passport or remove it?

I know these might seem like minor problems but when you are dealing with someone elses child and teachers with no understanding that some people can't just waltz across the border then it becomes my job to sort out the mess !

Z

lifehouse51

WHy not make a photocopy of the I-94W, and mail in the original I-94W following the instructions here: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/752
Bring that photocopy and other documents you mentioned with you when the student crosses the border again.

ian-mstm

Looks fine. I think this is a non-issue, but a little advance planning can go a long way to alleviate the situation if one arises.


Yes - send it back. Make a photocopy as Lifehouse51 suggests.

Ian

Zoe Bell

Many thanks for your help everyone
it makes me look really good when I go to my boss with solutions , not problems

take care

Z