Braintreegirl

Hi everyone,

I have a L2 visa and may be travelling back to the UK for my brother's wedding in May, along with my 11 year old daughter. Is there anything I need to take with me or do to ensure that I can get back into the U.S. without being with my husband (holder of the L1). I remember when I took my driving test out here I was not allowed to present my I.D. information without my husband being present and showing his at the same time.

Also, any tips for someone who is slightly nervous travelling on her own for the first time?

Thanks

NannyAnn

Hi,
You shouldn't have any problems at all travelling on your own on an L2. I flew home a couple of weeks ago and back, and thy jut said, what visa have you got? I said an L2, they said, why have you got an L2? I said because of my husbands work. Fine they said :-) So no problems.

You'll be fine flying on your own, I actually quite enjoyed it - I decided what I was going to eat, and when, and which shops to wonder round, etc etc. As long as you are ever too far away from the gate, you can't go wrong :-)

Have a good trip x

Braintreegirl

Thanks - just out of interest, what part of New Jersey are you in and what part of the UK did you come from?

NannyAnn

Flew out of Newark, into Heathrow. Live in Bridgewater :-)

Jerseygirl

I flew to the UK and back alone several times using the same visa. Our daughter also made the same journey as an unaccompanied minor.

Braintreegirl

Thanks girls, I feel silly worrying about travelling on my own when your daughter did it, Jerseygirl - do they provide helpers at the airport when the children are under a certain age?

Nannyanne - I live in Morris County - not sure whether that is anywhere near you or not?

Jerseygirl

She was 12 at the time and flew with BA...they were great. She had a full row of seats to herself as they wouldn't let anyone sit by her. She was accompanied from the moment my husband handed her over to the time when I met her at Manchester.

BTW I am in Morris County.

chicagojlo

My husband flies around the world with our 4 year old, and has done since she was a baby. He's always managed just fine, and we didn't drive until last year so he was dealing with public transport a lot of the time too.
As for L2, I took my driving test and nobody asked to see my visa, never mind my passport. I took my state ID for my ID though, maybe your state doesn't have them? The back of my I-94 has the details of my husband's L1 on it if they would ask for that, yours should too.

Jerseygirl

In NJ we had to produce our PP c/w visa...I think this was mainly for ID purposes. We took our test within a week or so of arriving so there was no need to obtain a state ID.

chicagojlo

Yeah I needed more than a week to learn how to drive! I managed 30 years without needing to drive! Having to worry about more than which stop to ring the bell at was going to take me a while!

Jerseygirl

Our first priorities were first get a SS number which we did the day after we landed...second get a drving license which we did within the first week.

chicagojlo

Here in Chicago it's possible to live fairly easily without a car. But my husband works out in the burbs so we ended up caving and getting one.

soap addict

Hi Braintreegirl

You shouldn't have any problems - I did the trip several times (just me and the kids) before we got our green cards.

Good luck with your trip.

Soap addict

CatW

Hi Braintree girl, I, too am from Braintree though I went to school in Chelmsford. Delightful place isn't it? now living in Pasadena, California. Anyway, I have often travelled back to the UK on my L2 visa without my husband who has an L1 and have never had any trouble at all. I was sometimes asked where he worked but that was all. Have also taken kids back on my own and again no problems. And as for travelling on your own, don't worry about it and just ask anyone for help. When I'm with my kids I often find someone from the airline as soon as I walk in the terminal and tell them I am travelling on my own with kids and can they help and they will usually help me with luggage and let me check in at business class check in for speed (though sadly no upgrade). Good luck
CatW

Braintreegirl

Thank you all I feel much better now. CatW - I don't believe I've found another "Essex" girl. I grew up in Chelmsford and went to Boswells - shame you're now so far away!

Jersey Girl we're actually in Pine Brook - anywhere near you?

Thanks again