Dont buy ticket in American Airlines - Transit visa

ana my experience | september - 2005 | ana

[gat_ubela]

Hello, this is my email to the American Embassy:

I applied today September 2005 for a TRANSIT VISA..because I have to travel to England (by American Airlines) in October. Your person in charge rejected my application.

I brought all the documents indicated in your web page and more that she did not want to see... and just rejected this.

So I want to complaint because in your web page you don't say that to apply to a transit visa is going to be as difficult as a more important visa.... you don't say that people should bring many proofs that you have big bank accunts.... you just say: the form, the payment of 100 US, the passport, the photo.... and SUGGEST t bring some ther documents to prove enough means....

I didn't have any other problem with my last passport, and I traveled before to the USA before, to Japan, to England twice... without any problem but now your PERSON ON CHARGE rejected my application to be in the airport sme hours on October...

I asked her if I could bring more documents to have this application aproved but she didn't help me at all. I wanted to show her my tickets to go and return, and some other documents to prove my links with La Paz- Bolivia. But she was just a non-helping person.

I FORMERLY ASK YOUR the UNITED STATES EMBASSY to explain clearly IN THEIR WEB PAGE that to get the transit visa is going to be AS DIFFICULT AS THE TOURIST VISA.

Otherwise THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY IS just misleading the people who had the mistake of buying a ticket to travel by AMERICAN AIRLINES.

This was my mistake and I regret this already.

Sincerely

A sad and angry Bolivian

[retrokitten]

Isn't that funny???

I found it on accident one time when I was looking for information on banned Loony Toons cartoons (before you ask- yes, I have no life).

[Williams]

Don't know, but I definitely request an amnesty for all of my posts that were ever moved to "Personal/ Bloggers".

[Fierce Allegiance]

Chill, yo.

[americanbychoice2]

It doesn't deserve a zot.
He/she asked a very innocent, but important question that needs to be answered. Many people travel all over the world on business and pleasure. Something like that could happen to an American tourist in another country and it isn't very pleasant.

[Constitution Day]

I'll go along with that request. You never know why some get moved.

[null and void]

One mistake. You tried to come here legally.

As near as I can figure, she's not coming here, she's going to England via a US stopover.

[edcoil]

I assume you are speaking of AA flight 922 with a stopover in Miami. From LaPaz to Heathrow

You can still make it to England. Varig's flight 7221 does not stop in the US so there should not be a problem and you do not need a visa.

[Mount Athos]

You don't need a Visa, FRiend, if you are in transit in international airports. You don't clear customs into the USA until you try to leave the international terminal.

Just so you know clee1, this is completely untrue! Foreigners DO need a transit visa even if they only ever stay in the international terminal! Every single person getting off an international flight is forced through customs, and they all need the visa. A long list of countries is part of the "Visa waiver" program, but those that are not, like Bolivia, must have them.

Having said that, as a non-US citizen, you have NO RIGHT at all to ever set foot on our soil. Get over it.

Yeah no one has the right to enter the country, that doesn't mean you should treat visitors so unbelievably obnoxiously. This is a really foul and poor attitude for you to have. This person is trying to give the USA, and a USA company business. He is having difficulties through no fault of his own. This situation discourages people from using USA airlines and cities for international travel. This hurts us! Now, the situation is understandable because of terrorism and illegals, I wouldn't lower our security scrutiny. But let's show a little more understanding, this fellow has done nothing wrong and merely wants to use American Airlines to connect through on. Your attitude hurts America.

[Right Wing Professor]

Why does this deserve a Zot?

It's not a news item, it's a copy of a complaint letter from a foreign national with a visa problem (BTW, Bolivian nationals don't need transit visas, so I don't know why this guy is applying for one) What will we be posting next, parking ticket appeals?

(Actually, it probably doesn't deserve a zot, it just deserves to be pulled)

[Lurking in Kansas]

So I want to complaint ....

You signed on FR to complain to AA?? Huh?

I got a feeling you're going to have a short stay........

[Fierce Allegiance]

Every foreignor I worked with had visa hassles. Illegals get free medical care.

[roaddog727]

Welcome to FR.

Your point about the Embassy Web site is valid.

However, who attempted to assist you at American Airlines? Was it a Bolivian or an American?

Typically, I have found in my travels that people other than Americans working for airlines in foreign countries are much less helpful to prospective transitors than are American citizens working in foreign countries.

Don't blame the Airline.

[Captain Rhino]

Send a better detailed version of this email to the ambassador. (There will be contact information on the website.) Send the email in Spanish. Tell him that the lack of customer service by (give the lady's name) is interfering with your legitimate right (under international law) to travel for business, etc. Ask that he provide the name of consular OFFICER you can work with to resolve the problem in a timely fashion.

If this doesn't work, complain using the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As a last resort, reschedule your air travel so that you don't need a US transit visa.

[Mount Athos]

BTW, Bolivian nationals don't need transit visas, so I don't know why this guy is applying for one

You are totally wrong, all Bolivian nationals need a transit visa to merely connect through the USA on international flights.

http://lapaz.usembassy.gov/english/consular/TransitVisa.htm

"All persons who are in transit through the United States to a third country are required to obtain a transit visa. Applicants for a transit visa do not need to make appointments for their visa interviews. They may come to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in La Paz for their visa interview any day Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 11:15 am.

Applicants for transit (C) visas are required to bring the following items to their interviews:

* Passport valid for at least six months and in good condition.

* Visa Application Form DS-156 (available online, at DHL, at the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, and at the Consular Agencies in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba). Applicants are encouraged to complete and print out Form DS-156 online. If using the online form all questions should be filled out before printing the form.

* Male applicants from 16 to 45 years of age must complete supplementary application Form DS-157 available online, at DHL, at the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, and at the Consular Agencies in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba).

* Receipt for the $100 visa application fee (to be paid at any BISA Bank office).

* One 5 x 5 cm. (2 x 2 inch) photograph taken within the last six months. The photograph should be non-glossy, have a white background, and be of good quality. The photo must be facing forward and only the face should be visible. Both color and black and white photographs are accepted.

* For suggestions on what you should bring to the interview, please click here.

* For information regarding new Visa Waiver Program procedures and Machine Readable Passports/Biometrics, please click here.

* For information regarding the Suspension of the Transit Without a Visa Program, please click here.

* For information regarding Banco Bisa in Bolivia, please click here.

* For answers to Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Non-Immigrant Visas, please click here.

[b4its2late]

LOL.

[clee1]

1) I didn't realize that. I'll have to do some research.

2) Tuff. There must be a reason for Bolivia to "not" be on the waiver list, don't you think? You would also think that a traveler would comply with all necessary travel regulations before starting out on an international trip. I have nearly no simpathy with people in this situation, and I am WAY past caring what the rest of the world thinks of us. However, if I did care about foreign perception, I'd rather us be thought of as tough, hardnosed people determined to enforce our laws regardless of whose ox gets gored, that as Caspar Milquetoastish-wimps that most already think we are.

Your toleration of this attitude is far more damaging to America than my attitude.

[Right Wing Professor]

I was going on older information. As you can see from what you posted, Biolivians formerly could go TWOV. I'm still interested you have time on your hands to post a huge chunk from a web-page in response to this. Does the phrase 'get a life' mean anything to you?

And I still maintain this has no business on FR.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Ok... let's give the poor dude the secret handshake.

[Mount Athos]

I'm still interested you have time on your hands to post a huge chunk from a web-page in response to this. Does the phrase 'get a life' mean anything to you?



You wouldn't be so immature as to tell someone to "get a life" just because someone quickly pointed out that what you said was totally untrue, would you? Just wondering. If your ego is so easily hurt, and you lash out so readily, you must have an interesting life. Normal people don't get upset by simple corrections of fact.

You can see by the post time that my message took only a minute to compose. A quick google search and cut and paste does not involve a lot of time, "professor". How long does it take you to cut and paste "professor"?

[Right Wing Professor]

See my previous advice.