readytotaxi From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2006, 2596 posts, RR: 3 Posted (9 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 14008 times:
On my last trip into the USA I noted that the crew quickly past me on a long line and were done and dusted through the usual dedicated channel, no problem with that. Got to wondering if they ever had a problem with entry, not for smuggling or such just if their name rang a bell. Does it happen?
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SW733 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6072 posts, RR: 10 Reply 1, posted (9 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 13955 times:
I'm sure it HAS happened, but I would imagine it is rare. Employers likely know what would keep someone from being allowed in the country, and would keep them off those routes. In addition, many countries require visas to enter the US (even for flight crews) so they would know they could not enter the country before getting on the flight.
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 2, posted (9 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 13905 times:
So, what would happen if a whole crew was denied entry into a country? Do they get sent back to their airplane and remain there or something or thrown in jail or what??
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I guess that would depend on why they are not allowed in. If they're wanted for a serious crime in that country, sure, they would likely be taken to jail. If it's just that, say, their passport doesn't have enough validity or something minor, they won't be arrested.
xlc From United States of America, joined Apr 2012, 22 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (9 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 13663 times:
If they committed no crime they would stay in a C B P holding area until return arrangements could be made. If, however, there are criminal issues they would be transferred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for processing.
jetblast From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 1198 posts, RR: 11 Reply 5, posted (9 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 13663 times:
Quoting SW733 (Reply 1): If it's just that, say, their passport doesn't have enough validity or something minor, they won't be arrested.
Recently I know of a crew member from an international carrier whose visa for the country they were traveling to was expired, they were personally fined at the airport when they arrived and sent on their way. At this particular airline it is the responsibility of the crew member to ensure all their visas are up to date.
ItalianFlyer From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 948 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (9 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 13546 times:
Global carriers have systems in place to prevent that from happening...not saying it always works, but it should not happen often. Example: Chinese visa numbers and effective dates are kept on file in a crewmembers profile....if the visa is missing or expired, the software will reject a trip assignment assignment to the PRC. Another example, Canada was very strict about denying entry with DWI a conviction on your record (within 10 years IIRC). A number of crew at my airline had NOCAN limiters on their profiles that prevented any assignment to Canada.
It does get complicated when you have expat crew or naturalized citizens using home origin passports. I had a flying partner who was a naturalized US citizen working for a US carrier and trying to enter Japan with her Egyptian passport. She was detained for HOURS while the airline and Immigration Control Ministry ironed things out. I would love to know how airlines with mostly expat crew (Qatar, Etihad, Emirates) deal with IC issues. If anyone knows firsthand, please share.....I am curious.
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16819 posts, RR: 57 Reply 7, posted (9 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 13527 times:
What sort of visas do most countries require, given that the purpose of the trip is work? Is a tourist visa sufficient? Is there a special visa given to certain types of individual (sailors, flight crew, etc.) that allows for frequent short visits?
wingnutmn From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 586 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (9 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 13512 times:
I have had a flight attendant denied entry to Canada because she did not tell the company about a DWI conviction. In canada it is a major problem and a denial of entry when they ran her through their computers. Needless to zay the company wasn't happy either, but my overnight went from 9.5 hrs to 16 real quick!
Wingnut
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ItalianFlyer From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 948 posts, RR: 2 Reply 10, posted (9 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 13427 times:
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 7): What sort of visas do most countries require, given that the purpose of the trip is work? Is a tourist visa sufficient? Is there a special visa given to certain types of individual (sailors, flight crew, etc.) that allows for frequent short visits?
France used to require a Schengen zone 'C' class visa for air crew but has discontinued that. I think they still require it for maritime crew. In Japan we have a 'shore pass' that should be carried on your person at all times on your layover.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21472 posts, RR: 24 Reply 11, posted (9 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 13427 times:
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 7): What sort of visas do most countries require, given that the purpose of the trip is work? Is a tourist visa sufficient? Is there a special visa given to certain types of individual (sailors, flight crew, etc.) that allows for frequent short visits?
I'm sure there are many variations depending on the country. For the U.S. see the Category D visa information in this list of U.S. visa types. Click on the "D" in the 6th row. http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1286.html
FI642 From Monaco, joined Mar 2005, 1056 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (9 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 12823 times:
Carriers normally are responsible for keeping visa and passport information accurate. They must also file APIS for crew in the United Stares. Crew scheduling keeps record of when passports and visas expire. Often passport information appears on the General Declaration. Crew members are however responsible for keeping thrie passports with them.
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jetblast From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 1198 posts, RR: 11 Reply 13, posted (9 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 12670 times:
Quoting AirframeAS (Reply 9): I believe it is like that at all U.S. based airlines. It is even mentioned in the job description when airlines are interviewing for new hire FA's.
This is true, however this was a European-based carrier. Seems to be the more reasonable way to go to have the individual crew members keep track of their own visas.
ACFA From Canada, joined Feb 2007, 261 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (9 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 12540 times:
On one of my flights to China a pilot accidentally brought his wife's passport instead of his own! Surprisingly the Chinese authorities granted us entry after holding us for two hours at the airport.
tonystan From Ireland, joined Jan 2006, 1174 posts, RR: 2 Reply 15, posted (9 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 12347 times:
In a nutshell most international aircrew are exempt from requiring visas into a lot of countries as they are treated similar to Seamen. There are a few exceptions however where airlines must forward details to the relevant immigration bureaus for whatever country with China/India etc being such nations.
I know myself going to many countries including many in Africa, Carribean, South America etc I almost never have to as much as show my passport!
However for the US it is a different matter. Each crew member is required to have 2 visa types in their passports. To obtain one of these visas one must attend an "interview" in their home countrys US Embassy which is a time consuming and costly affair aswell as a pain in the rear to organise. It also involves a lot of paperwork (although a lot of it is online now not that it makes ads to time saving!). Then each time we enter the country we must undergo the usual photo and fingerprint testing upon arrival.
So basically we have already been vetted and it would be very rare for a crew member to be declined entry on such a basis as the US would have already done their verification of the person at application stage!
RyanairGuru From Australia, joined Oct 2006, 2506 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (9 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 12118 times:
Quoting tonystan (Reply 15): for the US it is a different matter. Each crew member is required to have 2 visa types in their passports. To obtain one of these visas one must attend an "interview" in their home countrys US Embassy which is a time consuming and costly affair aswell as a pain in the rear to organise.
Precisely. I'm not saying it's never happened, but I'd say it's highly unusual. Foreign aircrew require a visa to enter the USA and to get that visa they would have already been vetted by the relevant US Embassy or Consulate.
And having gone through the US visa process (albeit as a student) I can say that it isn't a easy or fun experience!
Once here in MAO a Copa Airlines first officer with spanish passport argued on a rude way with the immigration officers why they were not let being first on the waiting line etc..., he was immediately refused entry! he had to wait for 8 hours until he was returned on the same flight with new crew members! he sat on the international departure area along with the flight passengers!
I felt no sympathy for him, because he really had sort of disgusting attitude! I remember he was "barking" on the waiting area that it was a retaliation by the brazilian immigration officers because spanish immigration officers are infamous in brazil for mistreating brazilian citizens on arrival in Spain.
airbazar From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 6873 posts, RR: 7 Reply 20, posted (9 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 5272 times:
Quoting ItalianFlyer (Reply 6): I would love to know how airlines with mostly expat crew (Qatar, Etihad, Emirates) deal with IC issues. If anyone knows firsthand, please share.....I am curious.
I have a family member who was a pilot for such an airline. It's not any different than any other airline. The problem with your partner was not that she was using a passport of a different country but most likely that her Visa was on her US passport and not on her Egyptian passport. Also, she was not an expat crew if she was a naturalized US citizen. For intents and purposes she's an American citizen and that's the passport she should have been using, hence the problems.
Quoting tonystan (Reply 15): However for the US it is a different matter. Each crew member is required to have 2 visa types in their passports. To obtain one of these visas one must attend an "interview" in their home countrys US Embassy which is a time consuming and costly affair aswell as a pain in the rear to organise. It also involves a lot of paperwork (although a lot of it is online now not that it makes ads to time saving!). Then each time we enter the country we must undergo the usual photo and fingerprint testing upon arrival.
I don't get the whole photo and finger print deal every time one enters the country. The same happens for us permanent residents (green card holders). It seems like such a waste of time to me, considering the government already has a lot more control and information on us than they do about their own citizens.
More than once I've gotten a call from a crew member in Europe that they "left their passport at home"- or in their car as one did on a regular basis. Crew normally are not asked for passports on departure. Some CSD/ISM's are good about ensuring their crew all have their passports. Others? Uh, no.
They arrived into Europe on a Military Charter, and no passport was asked for.
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hrc773 From Puerto Rico, joined Jan 2009, 36 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (9 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 3012 times:
Quoting bastew (Reply 21): I'm only required to obtain a visa for one country, the USA
Interestingly enough, the ONLY country on the US visa waiver program that requires a visa for American tourists is Australia. It's not a passport sticker type visa but you still have to apply and pay for it.
jfk777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 7345 posts, RR: 7 Reply 24, posted (9 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 2944 times:
Quoting AirframeAS (Reply 2): So, what would happen if a whole crew was denied entry into a country? Do they get sent back to their airplane and remain there or something or thrown in jail or what??
Most major airports have tempoary holding facilites. Recently South African Airways crew had an issue at LHR after they searched their bags and found "Colombian pharma items."
25 readytotaxi: Hey, Happy A.Net birthday, 6yrs old today.
26 flymia: National Security and Immigration concerns. As for LPRs going through the picture and finger print good question. I guess keeping better records, mak
27 RyanairGuru: While that is technically true, the Australian Tourist Visa and the US ESTA are pretty much exactly the same thing. From the passengers perspective y
28 tonystan: Its the only country you have to go and get a visa physically placed into your passport however the company applies for electronic visas for you to p
29 SW733: I always crack up whenever I have to "apply" for an ETA. I assume the only background check is to make sure you have enough money to add to their eco
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