Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Trying to keep an eye on changes to immigration to the USA with changes to come in the next few months. I will be keeping an eye on the following sites to monitor updates. Please check to see if your question is answered below and if not, then ask.


FCO - updates regarding coronavirus travel restrictions to the USA for British nationals.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-ad...sa/coronavirus


https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...-services.html
Embassies and consulates are still NOT processing applications - services limited to consular services for USC only. No opening dates set as of 04/25/2020

04/25/2020https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/us...-reopen-june-4
US field offices/application support offices due to start opening in June.

ESTA
Worried about over-staying on an ESTA visa waiver? You can now extend it an extra 30 days without penalty but you must do it before the ESTA expires. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-offers-flexibility-departing-visa-waiver-program-travelersExtension of Stay/Change of Status Filing Delays Caused by Extraordinary Circumstances Related to COVID-19

Extension of stay - non-ESTA
USCIS is being more lenient over timing of filing for extensions.
https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/uscis-response-covid-19
scroll down to " extension of stay/change of status filing delays causes by extraordinary circumstances related to Covid-19

Presidential Proclamation April 22nd regarding Green Card applications.
also gives link to actual proclamation
https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...or-market.html

Fragomen information regarding who the proclamation affects and doesn't affect. I searched around the web for a good explanation from a reliable source and thought this was a good one. https://www.fragomen.com/insights/al...-entry-60-days

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Not sure if this is the right thread to post this but it seemed to have some recent analysis:

Over 200,000 H-1B Workers Could Lose Legal Status by June

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...ive-in-the-u-s

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

I hate Bloomberg, it's pure clickbait. Did you read the article and follow the link provided where they got this information from? You should.
https://www.niskanencenter.org/how-t...f-the-country/
the figures quoted are made up or as they write "back of the envelope". They make assumptions that I think are incorrect . Read the notes at the bottom of their blog post.
"[2] This very rough estimate makes the simplifying assumption that unemployment among H-1B workers would be the same as for the general population, and that H-1B workers would be unable to transfer to another H-1B eligible job within the 60 days necessary to retain status.

[3] While there is no publicly available data on the total number of H-1B workers working in the United States or how many H-1B workers have immigrant intent, we use three years of initial petitions (H-1Bs last for an initial period of three years) and then apply the same assumption about unemployment as above. While many H-1B workers may not in fact have immigrant intent, this figure is still likely to be an underestimate because it does not include any of those who have extended their H-1B status but do not have an approved I-140."

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

I had not read the link, it was more interesting than the Bloomberg article. Not sure I would call it clickbait. They seem to be a lobbying association. It makes sense to me to make assumptions while building a model and then to refine as and when they get better data.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Having the right data matters but there is no disputing how disruptive the last few months have been (non-immigrants and citizens alike). Just based on my own situation. Here for 10 years, paid taxes, did the right thing, contributed via community service, owned 3 homes over that time, paid to the schools (property taxes) etc....list goes on. And all of a sudden the entire life that we built over a decade could be over. There isn't a question that we know we are visitors. Even with some very conservative estimates, the green card is about 10 years away....so suffer that as well.

I always say this to my wife. We are visitors, and feel very fortunate for this country to have offered us the career progression, chance to settle down, etc. but that didn't come without incredible hard-work and sacrifices.

Back to it; 10 years here and all of a sudden we are not welcome? The article hits true- if you lose your job, you have 60 days. What can you do in 60 days? Nothing. My visa type doesn't allow me to start work with a new employer until the petition is approved (which onshore can take months and months). I can't travel because there is a ban, and who knows that the next tweet will do. So effectively the little life we have built over 10 years could be over.

Very easy to say protect the Americas first but there has to be some thoughts behind existing people already in the country, other considerations etc.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

No, not nothing.

If you're in H-1B status and you lose your job, you do your best to find another employer that you can transfer your work authorization to. That's going to be a lot easier for some people than for others, but it's not nothing.

I don't know what visa your on, but mine doesn't allow me to transfer employers full stop.

Nonetheless the article explicitly mentioned H-1B, and from what I understand you can risk joining a new employer on a receipt notice rather than waiting for the approval. Perhaps not the best situation to be in if one were to lose their job, but it's still a better situation than you or I would be in.

Why does there have to be any consideration for us at all?

Immigration is a hot topic at the best of times, and the optics of clamoring to do something for foreign workers whilst 30 million Americans are unemployed are not great, to put it mildly.

It's not that we're not welcome, or that people don't want us here, but the first priority of government in a crisis - any government - is to safeguard and protect it's citizens, and to be blunt that doesn't include us.

I don't intend to get into the nitty gritty about what the Federal Government has done or how effective it's been in safeguarding and protecting US Citizens through this crisis, but elected politicians aren't going to be going out of their way to help foreign workers right now, at least not unless those workers are from certain industries (tech, agriculture etc) with strong lobbying efforts.

It does, however I take issue with the assumption that H-1B holders are going to be losing their jobs at anything near the same rate as we're seeing among the general populace.

I'd be willing to bet that the bulk of the job losses we've seen so far have been in the hospitality and travel sectors, and those aren't really industries that compete for the same pool of labor as the large companies that obtain the bulk of the H-1B visas every year. Yes there have been job losses in the tech industry and yes there will be more if this continues for a prolonged period of time, but the tech industry isn't nearly as exposed to this crisis in the way that the hospitality and travel industries are.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Slightly mixed question.Whilst not strictly immigration

I am UK passport holder and want to visit my Son(American citizen).

Firstly,do I qualify to visit as a close relative.

Secondly,he lives in Dallas and I would fly into DFW.(Which I understand is one of the designated airports for arrivals)

Dallas has just announced that from the 1st of May they are no longer in “”lockdown”.

Does this mean that I can fly into DFW and are not forced into 14 days quarantine? Or does the 14 day quarantine over ride the Dallas “unlockdown”

Hope this is clear,thanks for any assistance.



Ps I have a valid visa B1/B2 etc so I would not have to request an ESTA

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Immigration is Federal, and I am not aware of any changes. Have any of the lock downs required compulsory quarantines anyway, I know in Colorado it is recommended, my County has over 50% second home owners and am not aware of any that have quarantined.

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...formation.html

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

It's not just a case of being a close relative. Your son would have to be under the age of 21 and unmarried. I assume that that's not the case. See section two of this article/document: https://www.whitehouse.gov/president...l-coronavirus/

As for the Dallas lockdown being lifted, as has been said, it's not up to the city, county or even state to decide whether you can fly to the USA. It's a Federal government issue and the Presidential-mandated travel restrictions are still in full effect.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Minor question for near future, my I-94 renewal is up in October and I expect we’ll be fully in the middle of this by then. However with pressure to open up economy etc, who knows what might be open and legal. Including flights and so on. Normally we’d just take a holiday overseas before then, that was the idea, but not anymore.

my slight concern is not wanting to travel for the sake of it, due to risks, but being asked to for this renewal process (I.e. leave the country and come back to get a new stamp). I believe you can ask to extend but is it going to be reasonable to say, I think the risk to my family and I is too high, while others and officials might say it’s ok...

basically, I don’t want to subject my family to risk for this important but ultimately paperwork exercise. Should I be worried? I doubt I’d be happy travelling Internationally until next year. I mean, just myself maybe, but not the whole family, too risky.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Hi all!

My name is Susan, and I'm an American citizen currently living in the UK with my fiance - Lee. I moved here in September of 2018 to pursue a Master's Degree and we began our immigration process last summer filing for a K1/Fiance Visa (we picked it because of our timeline). We were in a long-distance relationship for over 3 years before I moved here, and neither one of us want to go back to that. We'd lined everything up so that we could enter the US together once my degree is over in June. Lee has just finished his medical exam and has an interview (tentatively) scheduled for June 12th, but we're both very worried that Coronavirus travel restrictions and bans will make it so that we can't enter the States together by the time my visa runs out (which is October). I know a lot of this is speculative, but I'd be interested in getting you guys' feedback - what do you think/what would you do in our situation? We could restart the process and do a marriage visa, knowing that we'd be most likely separated for at least a year - but that at the end of that we'd be able to be together, or we could wait it out and hope that he's able to come some time this year, or...what do you guys think?

Thanks, and warmest wishes to you all! <3

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

The biggest issue is likely to be getting an interview, whether they will be moved back. DCF would have been ideal but you missed that boat by going K1 which has lots of disadvantages but that is in the past.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Have their been any changes to the Travel Information Section of the ESTA? And does it ask if you have been to the UK in the last 14 days (I live here so yes I have). And when you say YES will it decline?. I ask because mine runs out in a few months.

With the travel ban would the answer of YES lead to decline? If it would I will just wait until their is a vaccine and the ban is lifted at which point if won't matter if you have been in UK or not. The FAQ section implies consequences for lying or if a 3rd party lies so it may have been updated. It also saying ESTA's are cancelled but nothing has been cancelled it is still approved?

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

You're not a USC or a LPR so if you have been to the UK/EU Schengen area in the last 14 days, you cannot enter the USA.
Doesn't matter if you have an ESTA or not.
When the travel restrictions are lifted then you can come.
I'd wait to renew your ESTA.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

I understand all of that but since our cruise has been cancelled they are now showing now cruises for late 2021 which we are looking at. I don't book travel to the USA unless I am covered by a current or an updated ESTA as I would never get a visa and would not want be out of pocket. I understand that an approved ESTA now would only be realistically good for the period after the ban is lifted to the end 2 year period so I would lose a number of months. But would an ESTA application done now be declined because purely because I am in UK? Does the Travel Information Section ask that question or a question like in the past 14 days have you been present in the United Kingdom/Ireland/Schengen area?

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

A word of warning to anyone booking future travel, read the fine print before you purchase travel insurance. Some (many?) insurers who previously issued policies covering travel cancellation/delay/disruption and medical expenses due to a pandemic will no longer provide this cover.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

From the official website

In accordance with Proclamation—Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 16, 2020, the entry into the United States is suspended for most individuals, other than United States citizens and lawful permanent residents, who have been physically present within the United Kingdom and Ireland within 14 days of travel to the United States. In addition, Proclamation 9993 applicable to the Schengen Area, Proclamation 9992 for travel from Iran, and Proclamation 9984 for travel from the People’s Republic of China all remain in effect. Any traveler with a valid ESTA who attempts to travel the United States in violation of the Proclamations for the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, and Ireland will have their ESTA canceled. ESTA will not refund applications that are canceled due to this Proclamation. Travelers who are subject to the Proclamations should cancel or postpone any travel until no longer subject to the Proclamations, or the Proclamations are rescinded.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/faq?lang=en

You seem to be asking a lot of What If questions. Just because a Cruise Line is showing potential sailings for late 2021 doesn't mean they will or won't happen. Usually an ESTA application is done within minutes of applying so what is relevant today might not be next month or in 3 months. Why not take a deep breath, relax and wait to see what happens. Making an online application from the UK shouldn't result in application being declined it is merely an application approved for travel to the USA. Many have applied for ESTA and never travelled on it.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Andyrebell, I can understand your concern that you might get refused an esta right now and this would mean applying for a visa that you may not get. However, Lancastrian's advice is good - sit tight and wait. If all is good for the cruise in 2021, then I'm assuming the entry restrictions to the USA will also have been lifted. I also wouldn't pay a deposit for a cruise in 2021 right now, no matter how good the discount - no-one knows if there will be a widely available vaccine for next year yet and you are just setting yourself up for a year of worrying about whether your cruise will go ahead or not.
Take a tour around scotland and the islands in June. It's absolutely stunningly beautiful. :-)

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

There are exceptions to the ban, not sure the ESTA application would know if you qualify, I guess not many people are booking as nobody knows what the future holds.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

We will sit back and wait thanks for the help I think the cruise credit is good till into 2022 to be fair.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Good choice :thumbup:

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

You might even get to enjoy Skye without the throngs of tourists :)

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

You would never get there would you? Aren't the caledonian mcbrayne ferries not running at the moment? Isn't that the company name

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

I purchased one before the start of the epidemic for an event that was to take place after the start of the epidemic and they've said that covid-19 is a "known event", an "epidemic" and is not covered. I'll never purchase such insurance again.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

It's a fairly useless product in terms of getting money back. Mine also was bought back in Oct last year when the holiday was booked.

I've managed to get my airbnbs canceled full refunds with no issues, a 95% refund for car parking charges, BA have offered me a voucher valid for two years, i only paid deposit on flights was waiting until last minute to pay full balance.


Works out far cheaper than triggering the excess on insurance.

Insurance is only useful for medical coverage IMO and even that is not always coat effective. I had some minor treatment in the USA on a holiday some years back and a doctor basically told me not to worry they would just bill the NHS...

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

We bought annual travel insurance with TD early March. Called them at the end of March to ask if they would defer the insurance because of lockdown. The answer was no. We will not be getting TD insurance in future.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

According to my map, you can drive there on the A87, no need of a ferry.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Correct - there’s the Skye Bridge.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Similar - $450 annual policy (for a couple) taken out in February when we had at least 4 international trips planned. Last one finally cancelled on Friday. Going to call Allianz to see if we can defer but not hopeful.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

we paid over $600. Bloody cheek especially as the lockdown is government mandated. :frown:

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Just to be pedantic, as folks may know, an ESTA acceptance is not a visa. It is merely an acceptance by the Custom and Border Protection's automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the USA under the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Quick update, might be worth another try - just got the end date of ours extended 90 days, now runs out 1 June 2021. Better than nothing.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Hi everyone ,

Thank you for taking the time to read this post , my situation is I’m a UK citizen holding a E2 visa , I moved to the USA last year , and was visiting family in March when I got stuck in the UK - luckily we have my wife’s house still in the UK so we have stayed there during the lockdowns. We are very lucky to have this but are desperate to get back to our home in the USA , our dog , and to not to live out of a single suitcase.

Whilst we are aware of the proclamation that precludes us form entering the USA because of the restrictions that exists regards being in the UK for 14 days prior to entry , however my question is if we visit a country that is not restricted for 14 days then make our way to the USA would this be allowed ?

Alternatively if anyone has any other advice or suggestions , I would very much welcome you assistance .

Thank you in advance for your help and please stay safe ,

Cheeks

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Yes, is the short answer.
Do you have anywhere in mind?
The problem is that most countries have entry restrictions of their own - restricting entry to their own citizens and/or having quarantine requirements. Not to mention possible difficulties getting flights.
Sorry about your dog, I would be frantic if my dog were here on her own.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

I have seen Turkey mentioned, you need somewhere with a direct flight to the US.

Talk of Mexico freeing things up.

Obviously a very fluid situation and not without risks.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Thank you , yes the dog is what has proved the most difficult, if he was with us I think we would stay put until it was easier to get back however long it takes. Luckily his with someone who is looking after him extremely well , but we miss him obviously- they are family after all.

You are right though - we can hardly get into anywhere right now - however I heard UAE (Dubai) are planning on opening next week , so we may go there for two weeks and fly onto USA from there . The other options is find someone with a boat , and sail across the Atlantic - takes 14 days then enter !!

Thanks for your help

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

The following from the CDC lists countries that are restricted, also says only USCs and PRs are allowed to enter the US.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...countries.html

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

Thank you - re Turkey - assuming this is not within Schengen Zone - Thanks for this

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

the restrictions apply to the countries in the list.

Turkey isn't on it

OP, this plan of yours isn't without risks and considerable expense.
My tuppence -worth? There is so much "opening up" going on here in the USA, not all countries are on the banned list and RUSSIA hasn't been added despite recent very high covid numbers. I was wondering if the US government had decided the diplomatic fallout with Russia over imposing a ban on them wasn't worth it if it was going to be a relatively short term thing?
I think the UK/EU ban may be lifted for visitors in the not too distant future with quarantine arrangements left in place. I was wondering if the UK are having to impose quarantine as part of a deal with the USA to get them off the restricted list.

Re: Covid 19 Travel/Immigration to USA - please check here and ask questions
 

that’s why I said ‘list of countries that are restricted’.