Traveling to the United States from Beijing

[totup]

My fiancee is from Beijing China. Shas her K1 interview in Guangzhou on November 14 2006. We don't anticipate any problems and I've booked a ticket for her on United Airlines for November 20. It is an eTicket and I've mailed her the online receipt which has her name as the passenger and the ticket number, etc. She is supposed to take this to the International United counter at the airport in Beijing to get her ticket to board the plane. She has her international passport and will have the visa by this time. Is there anything else we need to do? I don't want her to have any problems when going to the airport. I called United here in the US and was quoted some regulation that she can be refused boarding on the plane if there is no return ticket. She is using a K1 fiancee visa to come here and live so I only bought a one-way ticket. Does anyone have any information on this or know of any other potential problems that we need to look out for? Thanks.

[MRMC]

IF you can go pick her up you should do so. Often at the POE she will be asked many questions and it will be easier for her if you are there. I remember the words they said to my wife, "if you are not married in 90 days, out you go!" In addition, there are forms you have to submit, it can be confusing unless her conversational english is good. The Homeland Security officials have alot to deal with at the POE, etc. and not alot of time to do so, so my recommendation is go and bring her back if you can.

[david_dawei]

My fiancee is from Beijing China. Shas her K1 interview in Guangzhou on November 14 2006. We don't anticipate any problems and I've booked a ticket for her on United Airlines for November 20. It is an eTicket and I've mailed her the online receipt which has her name as the passenger and the ticket number, etc. She is supposed to take this to the International United counter at the airport in Beijing to get her ticket to board the plane. She has her international passport and will have the visa by this time. Is there anything else we need to do? I don't want her to have any problems when going to the airport. I called United here in the US and was quoted some regulation that she can be refused boarding on the plane if there is no return ticket. She is using a K1 fiancee visa to come here and live so I only bought a one-way ticket. Does anyone have any information on this or know of any other potential problems that we need to look out for? Thanks.

 

Ignore the warnings about one-way booking.. this seems more urban legend than anything.. too bad even the United rep is saying this.

 

I've flew twice one-way from China to US on United; and my wife once.. never a problem. All from BJ. I would recommend she is there a three hours early. I've noticed that sometimes United didn't have many counter people and it took an hour to get checked in for not too many of us in line.

[Randy W]

The United Airlines counter in Beijing opens fairly late in the day (I had a several hour wait before I could check my luggage in - 1st in line). The IO's in Chicago are there to admit legal aliens with their paperwork in order. They will give her the forms (I-94 and customs declaration) in Chinese on the plane. They will take her to a separate room for processing and will point and grab if neccessary. No problem with the eticket - if they give her flak, she can talk to a supervisor. A round trip ticket is a very hefty price to pay for a little bit of insurance - meet her at the POE (after customs) instead - you will also save an entire day.

Edited October 26, 2006 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Stone]

My wife and my son both holding Chinese passports used one-way e-tickets to come to America from Beijing Airport. My wife had an IR-1 visa (immigrant visa) and my son had a B-2 tourist visa. Well, the Chinese Border Control found it interesting that my son had a tourist visa with a one way ticket to the U.S., they let them pass without a hitch.

 

Last time I used the Continental counter at Beijing Airport and they allowed me to check in 3 hours before the scheduled departure time.

[rosyanne]

Depend on which airport she lands on and if she needs to change a flight, it could be confusing sometimes at those airports if you don't travel a lot.

[C4Racer]

Ignore the warnings about one-way booking.. this seems more urban legend than anything.. too bad even the United rep is saying this.

 

 

Not sure I agree with this completely.

 

I accompanied my wife on her K1 visa, it was a good thing I did. She would have been totally lost in how to overcome her problem. We travelled NWA Guangzhou-Narita-Portland. We got to the counter only to have the ticket agent say, "I'm sorry. We can't do this. She needs a return ticket." I stood my ground knowing that K1 visa are exempt from the normal rule. She called over the counter supervisor. Same thing. Sorry we just can't do this. I did not waver one bit. Stating, you do not understand, she is immigrating to the US. She will not be returning to China. So, they called over the NWA head supervisor. He looked at her visa, made sure I was the petitioner, asked to see the packet, checked all documents and said, "I do not see any problem."

 

The warnings about one-way bookings are real. They are in place to protect the airline more than anything else. The airlines know it is a requirement for all travelers to the US to hold a return ticket if you are a non-immigrant. You will be refused entry to the US, so the airline doesn't want to return you at their expense. So you need to be aware of this. Also be aware that some airline people do not understand K1 visa. Be prepared to stand your ground, taking the issue up the various levels of supervisors.

[SirLancelot]

You will be refused entry to the US, so the airline doesn't want to return you at their expense. So you need to be aware of this. Also be aware that some airline people do not understand K1 visa. Be prepared to stand your ground, taking the issue up the various levels of supervisors.

 

 

This has always interested me and I've never found an answer before. I had always assumed the government paid to return the foreigner denied entry at the POE. Or that the foreigner paid for the return trip. It never entered my mind that the airline would pay. C4Racer, are you certain about this, or is it just conjecture on your part?

 

totup, can you tell us when NVC sent your petition over to GUZ? Was it sometimes in early August 2006? Thanks. Good luck.

[totup]

The NVC petition was sent to Guangzhou in early May and my fiancee (Sophia) sent the P3 on July 31. P4 arrived on Oct 7. The interview is on Nov 14 and I bought her the ticket for Nov 20. She will be traveling from Beijing to Chicago Ohare. I bought a non-stop ticket so she won't have to stop anywhere in between. I'm not sure where in Ohare I can first meet her when she arrives. Is it at baggage claim? Once she gets off the plane I don't know what happens. Can somebody tell me? Thanks.

[david_dawei]

be aware that some airline people do not understand K1 visa. Be prepared to stand your ground, taking the issue up the various levels of supervisors.

 

Ok.. my jet lag has me saying incomplete thoughts too much lately.. I agree that one might have to get someone who knows the rules..

 

The fact is that a K1 doesn't need a return ticket was my meaning... Like the K1 and SS card issue.. sometimes you got to find someone who knows the rules...

[yuehan123]

You will be refused entry to the US, so the airline doesn't want to return you at their expense.

This has always interested me and I've never found an answer before. I had always assumed the government paid to return the foreigner denied entry at the POE. ... It never entered my mind that the airline would pay. ....?

 

I am certain that I agree with C4Racer. I recall reading somewhere in the vast maze of stuff I looked at over the last couple of years on the Airline, Consular, DHS, NVC, or Immigration web sites that an airline "could" be held responsible for providing transportation to someone denied entry, if they did not have a valid visa.

[C4Racer]

You will be refused entry to the US, so the airline doesn't want to return you at their expense. So you need to be aware of this. Also be aware that some airline people do not understand K1 visa. Be prepared to stand your ground, taking the issue up the various levels of supervisors.

 

 

This has always interested me and I've never found an answer before. I had always assumed the government paid to return the foreigner denied entry at the POE. Or that the foreigner paid for the return trip. It never entered my mind that the airline would pay. C4Racer, are you certain about this, or is it just conjecture on your part?

 

totup, can you tell us when NVC sent your petition over to GUZ? Was it sometimes in early August 2006? Thanks. Good luck.

 

I am certain. Here is a link that shows the airlines are well aware that they will be ordered by the US government to return you to point of origin. The US government will not pay for return, so this airline states, you agree to pay for your return ticket. They also understand many will not be able to afford this. They are trying to protect themselves. They know it is hard to recoup their expense, so when there is possible chance you could be refused entry into the country to where you fly, they will deny your boarding.

 

http://us.malaysiaairlines.com/mys/eng/cus...e_fourteen.html

 

Here is also a link discussing this topic at Airliners.net

 

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/gener...d.main/2871439/

 

The other safe guard they use is to require a return ticket. This is also a requirement of entry into many countries. So it pretty much goes hand in hand.

Edited October 27, 2006 by C4Racer (see edit history)

[yuan1268]

 

I'm not sure where in Ohare I can first meet her when she arrives. Is it at baggage claim? Once she gets off the plane I don't know what happens. Can somebody tell me? Thanks.

 

 

She will be arriving at O'hare terminal #5. After she pick up her luggages, she will need to go through the luggage check point. Once she pass that, United Airline have a counter to take care all transfer fly passengers (that's where she can check in her luggages again). If you are planning to meet up with her, you will be able to see her walking out of the gated door. Eitherway, she still need to walk out and go up to the second floor and catch a terminal train to terminal # 1 and going through the security check point again and to her Airline gate.

 

Good luck !!

[david_dawei]

 

I'm not sure where in Ohare I can first meet her when she arrives. Is it at baggage claim? Once she gets off the plane I don't know what happens. Can somebody tell me? Thanks.

 

 

She will be arriving at O'hare terminal #5. After she pick up her luggages, she will need to go through the luggage check point. Once she pass that, United Airline have a counter to take care all transfer fly passengers (that's where she can check in her luggages again). If you are planning to meet up with her, you will be able to see her walking out of the gated door. Eitherway, she still need to walk out and go up to the second floor and catch a terminal train to terminal # 1 and going through the security check point again and to her Airline gate.

 

Good luck !!

 

Before luggage pickup is customs and her checkin...

 

hopefully her plane to Chicago is on time and any connection (if needed) has plenty of time. My last flight from BJ to O'hare was over 2 hours late and forced me to miss my connection flight and stay a night in Chicago.. Try to get a flight into O'hare which is not connecting to the last flight of the night ...