Ja5on

I’m a us citizen with a 13 year old daughter living in the uk, she was born before i became a citizen.

I flew over to England on Friday to pick her up so she could visit for the summer. We checked in on Sunday in Manchester to fly back to DC. About an hour after we checked in I received an email stating that the esta status had changed. I tried to look up her esta but just got a notice that it couldn’t be found.

It must have been valid at check in otherwise the airline would have noticed. Luckily the airline didn’t check again during our layover in London.

When we arrived in DC they told me they couldn’t find an esta in the system. I didn’t mention the email, I just said that I had a printed copy and was unsure of why it would have expired early.

We spent about 30 minutes in secondary and they told me that anyone coming from a country on the no travel list have their esta revoked when they try. The agent told me that since she’s my daughter and under 21 that she’s exempt and she was allowed into the country.

There’s probably not a lot of people going through this but I figured I would share my story in case it could help somebody else.

SanDiegogirl

Surprised you were allowed entry into the US with a UK citizen ...Travel to USA is subject to entry restrictions

• British nationals cannot enter the USA if they have been in the UK, Ireland, Schengen zone, Iran, Brazil or China within the previous 14 days
• If you are eligible to enter the USA you must be prepared to self-isolate for up to 14 days after arrival

I would not have thought a visit to Dad was essential travel ....

christmasoompa

Immediate relatives of citizens/LPR's are exempt from the ban.

HTH.

SanDiegogirl

..... but not exempt from the 'essential travel' issue.......

civilservant

How was she admitted? Under the VWP?

Seems that the rules are a little selectively enforced, with an eye towards common sense. Some would say that's a good thing.

S Folinsky

I’ve read the thread several times and see no mention of being admitted. I do wonder what status the child was allowed physically into the US.

civilservant

Ok.... Am I missing something? (Quite Possibly!)

Pulaski

Post # 1 says "she was allowed into the country".

Are you using "admitted" in some arcane legal sense?

steph0scope

The embassy in Switzerland posted an announcement on their website that VWP travelers who fall into the exemption categories (spouses of USCs, minor children of USCs, etc) should apply for a B-2 to travel so that their 'eligibility' can be verified and this is then printed on the visa. I saw one online where it was printed with 'excluded from presidential proclamation....' to avoid any problems at the airports if check in staff are unsure as to who can and who can't travel.

tht

I thought he was hinting at paroled in vs. admitted: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/...rt-b-chapter-2

”Parole is not an admission to the United States.[6] Parole also does not provide the alien with any lawful status. When an alien is allowed to be paroled into the United States, he or she is still deemed to be an applicant for admission.[7] Parole terminates automatically upon the expiration of the authorized parole period or upon the alien’s departure from the United States.[“

”Any alien may request parole but no alien has a right to be granted parole. Parole decisions are discretionary determinations that must be made on a case-by-case basis consistent with the INA. To exercise its parole authority, USCIS must determine that parole into the United States is justified by urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Even when one of those standards is met, DHS may still deny parole as a matter of discretion.“

I could see not holding an unaccompanied minor and sending them back that day / the next day as an “urgent humanitarian reason”.

we won’t know unless the OP can report what was stamped in to the passport / it says on the online I94 etc.

Kooky.

Many of us with valid work visas (non-migratory) have been advised by our lawyers not to travel outside of the country in case we are not allowed back in.

You and your daughter have been very lucky; it's not something I would recommend anyone else trying.

Pulaski

He's a US citizen, and his daughter clearly and explictly falls under one of the few exceptions. Why do you think he was "very lucky"?

Pulaski

I tried to PM you, and would still like to do so.

Ja5on

They stamped her passport and wrote WT(wavier tourist). I checked online and her original esta has been reactivated.

Kooky.

"You" was meant in relation to his getting his daughter through. She has an ESTA. If she got in by virtue of being family, great, but nobody should make travel plans on the basis of having an unexpired ESTA.