emptynest

Hi

I am posting on behalf of my son whose USC wife filed I130 in US. He had his London embassy interview on 21st August and it was approved - hurrah!

My question is, he plans to book a single flight to US using his American Airlines air miles, as makes it much cheaper than a return. Is there any reason that a single ticket could be a problem with US immigration?

Many thanks

Speedwell

Not at all. That's what my husband did, using Avios (BA airmiles). It was of no concern. Secondary processing happens anyway because of the visa. Just do whatever is cheapest.

Noorah101

It won't be a problem. Remind him not to book his ticket, though, until he actually has his visa in hand.

Rene

emptynest

Thanks Speedwell. That's good to hear.

emptynest

[QUOTE=Noorah101;10868588]It won't be a problem. Remind him not to book his ticket, though, until he actually has his visa in hand.

Thanks Rene. However tempting to book straight away, he knows he has to wait. He wants to be ready for when his visa arrives.

He's had an email from Embassy to say they have completed the paperwork and passed it to the courier. There's a glitch on the courier's automatic system - it says its ready for delivery on Wednesday, but won't allow him to book a slot, directing him instead to Customer Services, who aren't available now until Tuesday ( Public holiday today). And he has paid for home delivery (and had email confirmation) but system is showing collection from regional centre. He tells me others are having similar problems with new courier system. Hopefully, all will be resolved tomorrow.

Probably too much information............

civilservant

Most people (like me) book returns because they are invariably the same price or slightly cheaper than singles due to the legal requirement on airlines to return someone at their own expense if they are denied entry.

That said, if airmiles make it cheaper then so be it - I don't know why you think that would be a problem, he is immigrating after all.

Speedwell

One-way tickets using airmiles are cheaper because you have to use the same amount for each leg of the trip: if A to B costs 20,000 miles, then B to A will cost an additional 20,000 miles. If the leg is substantially or completely covered by the airmiles, then there's no point paying double airmiles to get a return ticket that won't even be used.

Interestingly, my husband found that the base economy one-way fare actually was cheaper than the return fare for all of the airlines he chose for his entry date. I think the return fare is cheaper than the one-way fare mostly if the outbound flight is in high demand and the return is low demand.

emptynest

Update - visa received and one way flight booked using airmiles.

NB despite my son having booked and paid for home delivery of his documents by the Embassy couriers, they were DXd to the courier's regional centre. I had to drive him (he doesn't have a car) to their collection office on an industrial estate off the motorway 45 miles away. He says others appear to have similar problems so looks like a glitch in their new procedure.

civilservant

Indeed, it seems to be a total mess right now.