UALWN From Andorra, joined Jun 2009, 2349 posts, RR: 2 Posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 4599 times:
Last Saturday I flew ORD-MUC on United. I tried to e-check in, but was directed to present by travel documents to a United agent, which I did (after waiting for 35 minutes in the Premier/Premier Executive line, but that's another story). She checked my (Spanish) passport and gave me my boarding pass. After a short stop at the RCC I went to the gate, tried to board the plane, but was directed to a loooong line at the gate counter to present again my travel documents in order to get a "VISA OK" stamp in my boarding pass. It seemed like everybody had to get it: US passport, EU passport, whatever. This is the first time I've seen this. My last trip US-EU was in April, and there was no "VISA OK". Is this new? Who mandates it? Thanks in advance.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22258 posts, RR: 50 Reply 1, posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 4565 times:
Its pretty simple really, Just means to verify on the airlines part that everyones travel documents have been reviewed prior to boarding. Standard SOP at many UA stations.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
ExFATboy From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2974 posts, RR: 9 Reply 2, posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 4547 times:
CO does it too, at least to some destinations - both times I've flown EWR-BRS all passengers have had to take their boarding pass and passport and have them checked at the gate podium before boarding started. I don't remember having to do it for HKG on CO, though, or for IAH-BZE.
SANAV8R From United States of America, joined Mar 2009, 215 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 4546 times:
Not the best example, but I have always had to do it on CO, but never on other international flights.
They range from a scribbled "OK"
To a Stamp that says "DOC OK" right next to 2B is the end of the stamp.
Pellegrine From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 1868 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 4538 times:
Why do they do it again at the gate, do they expect passengers to trash their passport in the terminal before they even get aboard? What is this "Visa OK"?
Many times you simply present your passport with your boarding pass at the gate, this seems sufficient to me.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22258 posts, RR: 50 Reply 5, posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 4533 times:
Quoting LAXintl (Reply 1): Its pretty simple really, Just means to verify on the airlines part that everyones travel documents have been reviewed prior to boarding. Standard SOP at many UA stations.
Its a check to verify your travel and immigraton documents.
Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 4): Why do they do it again at the gate, do they expect passengers to trash their passport in the terminal before they even get aboard?
Yes it happens. Also passengers have been known to loose their documents, or pull ticket switches with others.
Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 4): Many times you simply present your passport with your boarding pass at the gate, this seems sufficient to me.
That check is simply a name match to the boarding pass, not to check if you are legaly entitield to entry at the destination. It would take much longer to board if visa and immigration regulations had to be checked one by one when boarding.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
UALWN From Andorra, joined Jun 2009, 2349 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 4507 times:
Thanks to everybody for the replies. I guess I should understand that this is nothing new, really. However, the thing is that I travel 4-5 times a year between the US and the EU, almost always with United, almost always from ORD, and almost always to either FRA or MUC, and this is the very first time I've ever seen this secondary passport check. Hence my surprise.
Phatfarmlines From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 1323 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (3 years 9 months 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 4459 times:
Quoting UALWN (Reply 6): Thanks to everybody for the replies. I guess I should understand that this is nothing new, really. However, the thing is that I travel 4-5 times a year between the US and the EU, almost always with United, almost always from ORD, and almost always to either FRA or MUC, and this is the very first time I've ever seen this secondary passport check. Hence my surprise.
This is SOP in the US (and LHR Terminal 5) because there is no passport control unlike most European airports.
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