Visas & Airline Checks
Visas & Airline Checks
Recently I departed for an extended business visit to Vietnam (6 weeks) and took mrsr1 allong for the duration. Accordingly, we applied for visa for the stay, and were issued with colourful documentation in our respective passports. The validity dates of the visa covered a period of 90 days.
On checking in at our domestic airport for the 1st leg of the journey, we were denied even that privilege. The somewhat officious staff said we did not have the proper documentation, and that we could not stay in Vietnam for longer than 30 days. They refused to accept the validity dates of the visa, and said they were the dates of the period when the visa had to used. I was even told I need a visa exemption letter, until I pointed out I hardly needed an exemption when I already had a visa.
I then showed the invitation letter I had from the organisation I would be working with. Nope, not enough. I then found that I had a copy of the visa application for 43 days. OK, that's alright. Do you have a copy of your wife's visa application? No, but it was the same as mine. No good, she can't check-in. You have to change her return flights, so that she stays less than 30 days. Time was running out, so we did this, at a cost, with minutes to spare.
Some 24 hours later .... Immigration in Hanoi required no forms. There were no questions, and both our passports were stamped with a permission to enter for 90 days. Required exit date - the same as the visa.
I have now re-booked mrsr1's flights back to the original schedule - at more cost. I intend making a travel insurance claim for the additional fees we have had to pay. Hopefully, the insurance company will then open negotiations with the airline. I can't see how the airline has a leg to stand on.
Anyone got any pearls of wisdom to impart about this?
On checking in at our domestic airport for the 1st leg of the journey, we were denied even that privilege. The somewhat officious staff said we did not have the proper documentation, and that we could not stay in Vietnam for longer than 30 days. They refused to accept the validity dates of the visa, and said they were the dates of the period when the visa had to used. I was even told I need a visa exemption letter, until I pointed out I hardly needed an exemption when I already had a visa.
I then showed the invitation letter I had from the organisation I would be working with. Nope, not enough. I then found that I had a copy of the visa application for 43 days. OK, that's alright. Do you have a copy of your wife's visa application? No, but it was the same as mine. No good, she can't check-in. You have to change her return flights, so that she stays less than 30 days. Time was running out, so we did this, at a cost, with minutes to spare.
Some 24 hours later .... Immigration in Hanoi required no forms. There were no questions, and both our passports were stamped with a permission to enter for 90 days. Required exit date - the same as the visa.
I have now re-booked mrsr1's flights back to the original schedule - at more cost. I intend making a travel insurance claim for the additional fees we have had to pay. Hopefully, the insurance company will then open negotiations with the airline. I can't see how the airline has a leg to stand on.
Anyone got any pearls of wisdom to impart about this?
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Nope, other than to say that I doubt travel insurance would cover something like this. I would take this up with the airline that you booked with personally, sending them copies of all documents, receipts etc etc and demanding that they refund your expenses.
You could do that now while you are in Vietnam, no need to wait till you return. Your airline will have a customer service department that you will be able to email.
You could do that now while you are in Vietnam, no need to wait till you return. Your airline will have a customer service department that you will be able to email.
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You need to go back to the airline. If nothing else they need to know one of their employees / agents is seriously misinformed on the visa requirements. If they are not the airline who charged you the change fee you need to ask them to either refund you the money themselves, or get the issuing airline to refund you. Don't forget to ask for compensation for wasting your time, etc.
Be as clear as possible as what you want from them. That actually makes it easier to deal with your claim.
Be as clear as possible as what you want from them. That actually makes it easier to deal with your claim.
Paxing All Over The World
May one ask the airport you departed from? Also, sounds like it was not a direct flight? Were all sectors with the same carrier?
WLG?! Air NZ?! That says everything!
Flew with them AKLLAX once, ESTA all set up, onward ticket, the whole deal. "I need to see your Germany residency permit"
Really? "Yes, I can't let you travel otherwise"
Did out a very dog-eared 35 year old document.
"This isn't you and anyway it's all in German"
You couldn't make this stuff up...
Flew with them AKLLAX once, ESTA all set up, onward ticket, the whole deal. "I need to see your Germany residency permit"
Really? "Yes, I can't let you travel otherwise"
Did out a very dog-eared 35 year old document.
"This isn't you and anyway it's all in German"
You couldn't make this stuff up...
Paxing All Over The World
The only time I've had this kind of problem was with SQ! In Feb this year, I was booked LHR~SYD, via SIN (straight through with a just couple of hours layover, longer than planned due to a mistake by SQ). When I tried to check-in online, I was refused. Spoke to their helpdesk and was told that my passport would expire in less than six months and they could not accept that and I could not travel.
This started a long series of enquires over the next 24 hours and included me pointing out to SQ that, I had given them my passport details months before when booking. Their reply (on the phone and at the airport) was:
We have to ensure that all our passengers comply with the requirements of the destination country.
I said (many times): "I have done, and Australia have issued my E-visa and here is the detail printed out. If Australia had not accepted my soon to expire passport, I would have replaced it in the last three months."
"But we cannot let you board as you might want to leave the airport in Singapore."
"I have no intention of the leaving the airport in Singapore."
Repeat as required ...
The previous evening, I had read the detailed Ts&Cs of the ticket and there was no reference to the rules in SIN, only the destination country.
Eventually, at the aiport, they produced a form which they filled in. It was headed 'Irregularity of Travel Document', which kind of gave the game away that they had done this to their pax before! I got the impression that the senior agent who had been summoned knew the stupidity of this but he did what he had to do.
We filled it in and I promised to indemnify SQ against all sort of ghouls and goblins (I still have my copy of it) and away we went.
In all other regards, SQ were brilliant. But I have seen more examples where carriers and countries now reckon a 5 year passport is only valid for 4.5 years.
This started a long series of enquires over the next 24 hours and included me pointing out to SQ that, I had given them my passport details months before when booking. Their reply (on the phone and at the airport) was:
We have to ensure that all our passengers comply with the requirements of the destination country.
I said (many times): "I have done, and Australia have issued my E-visa and here is the detail printed out. If Australia had not accepted my soon to expire passport, I would have replaced it in the last three months."
"But we cannot let you board as you might want to leave the airport in Singapore."
"I have no intention of the leaving the airport in Singapore."
Repeat as required ...
The previous evening, I had read the detailed Ts&Cs of the ticket and there was no reference to the rules in SIN, only the destination country.
Eventually, at the aiport, they produced a form which they filled in. It was headed 'Irregularity of Travel Document', which kind of gave the game away that they had done this to their pax before! I got the impression that the senior agent who had been summoned knew the stupidity of this but he did what he had to do.
We filled it in and I promised to indemnify SQ against all sort of ghouls and goblins (I still have my copy of it) and away we went.
In all other regards, SQ were brilliant. But I have seen more examples where carriers and countries now reckon a 5 year passport is only valid for 4.5 years.
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Entry into Australia does not need the six month validity on your passport (https://www.passports.gov.au/Pages/f...ions.aspx#faq8), but entry into Singapore does (https://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=95).
I realise you did not technically enter Singapore, but the airline is not able to stop you if you tried to enter.
Also, I believe the airline gets penalised by the destination country if they carried over passengers with improper documentation. I had to wait at the check-in counter a few times while phone calls were made to confirm that my documents were sufficient.
I realise you did not technically enter Singapore, but the airline is not able to stop you if you tried to enter.
Also, I believe the airline gets penalised by the destination country if they carried over passengers with improper documentation. I had to wait at the check-in counter a few times while phone calls were made to confirm that my documents were sufficient.
Paxing All Over The World
I do not dispute that cee cee. But if only SQ had asked me? If only their automated system had recognised passport validity dates? If they had not asked but had put it in the Ts&Cs - then they could have smugly pointed this out to me.
But they did none of those and only referred to the requirements of the destination country. Accordingly, I felt they were in error and gave me undue anxiety. Not something I associate with SQ. From the first booking to travel was about four months and I would have renewed my passport - if they has stated their requirement.
But they did none of those and only referred to the requirements of the destination country. Accordingly, I felt they were in error and gave me undue anxiety. Not something I associate with SQ. From the first booking to travel was about four months and I would have renewed my passport - if they has stated their requirement.
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PAXboy, I was going to point out that the requirement was not one imposed by the airline, but by the country, but started wondering whether that requirement actually exists for transiting passengers, so I did a search and found this:
https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/o...n/faq_new.html
Fun, eh?
https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/o...n/faq_new.html
Can I travel with less than six months validity?
You can transit if you do not need to go through immigration in Singapore, though you will still need permission from your airline to board the plane. However, if you do need to go through immigration, you are strongly advised to renew your passport before travelling.
So it looks like you were right after all, you do not need the additional validity for transiting, but at the same time, the airline is able to prevent you from boarding on those grounds.You can transit if you do not need to go through immigration in Singapore, though you will still need permission from your airline to board the plane. However, if you do need to go through immigration, you are strongly advised to renew your passport before travelling.
Fun, eh?
Paxing All Over The World
All I can say, Heathrow Harry, is that:
1. Australia issued the Visa without question.
2. SQ only said I needed six months with less than 24 hours before departure.
3. They had four months to tell me.
4. Their Ts&Cs made zero reference to needing six months.
5. I had not originally intended to go out of the airport at SIN.
6. The reason I had the time to go out is because SQ made a stuff up of our booking and we had a 12 hour layover!
7. They acknowledged their mistake by issuing vouchers.
I thought I had done all that was required.
1. Australia issued the Visa without question.
2. SQ only said I needed six months with less than 24 hours before departure.
3. They had four months to tell me.
4. Their Ts&Cs made zero reference to needing six months.
5. I had not originally intended to go out of the airport at SIN.
6. The reason I had the time to go out is because SQ made a stuff up of our booking and we had a 12 hour layover!
7. They acknowledged their mistake by issuing vouchers.
I thought I had done all that was required.
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Does SQ have or store any information about your passport prior to your check-in? In the last few years, my only international travel is with Scoot (TZ), and I have never entered any passport information when booking the ticket.
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Most airlines use a 'clip-on' system to collect APIS. i.e. their systems were not designed around the collection of passport (and other information) but it was added on at a much later date. Often the APIS information is not interfaced with the PNR data - they are linked but not to the extent that the airline can 'see' and use passport information. Of course privacy laws, which differ in every jurisdiction, do limit how the data can be held and used.
There is no IATA standard. They have gotten out of the business due to competition law concerns.
There is no IATA standard. They have gotten out of the business due to competition law concerns.
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Harry, if you mean me, I have paid with credit (not debit) card as well as POLI (bank transfer) previously. In both cases the payment is made after all the flight details (including fringe add-ons) have been finalised.
And I have just tried out SQ's online booking, and the passenger details section does not ask for passport information other than passenger name. So I don't see how PAXboy can reasonably expect SQ to inform him of passport requirements.
And I have just tried out SQ's online booking, and the passenger details section does not ask for passport information other than passenger name. So I don't see how PAXboy can reasonably expect SQ to inform him of passport requirements.
Paxing All Over The World
Well ... if they had not collected that information but wanted me to have six months, might they not have put that in their Ts&Cs? Then they could have pointed at them and told me that I was wrong. Yet, all the conversation was about 'meeting the requirements of the destination country'. Which I did. THEN they told me that their govt wanted me to have six months. As it was less than 24 hours before travel, this did not help very much.
Anyway, it's history.
Anyway, it's history.
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Not just airlines
Departing Fremantle by ship, I was told that I needed a New
Zealand visa, as that was where I was going. My response -
but that is a New Zealand passport. Their reply, you still need a visa !
Solved by finding someone sensible.
Zealand visa, as that was where I was going. My response -
but that is a New Zealand passport. Their reply, you still need a visa !
Solved by finding someone sensible.
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Some years ago Air Canada flew Toronto-Heathrow-Delhi-Singapore. All NONREVs travelling to/from SIN were required to have Indian visas, in the event (even unlikely) they were off-loaded there. Revenue passengers were not though.
