US immigration en route to NZ

[tiger burn]

I shall soon be heading off to NZ with my little daughter (20 mnths) & we are flying Air NZ but to break the journey up will be stopping overnight in LAX going out & on return. Sometime ago somehow milk was spilt on my daughter's passport - we've since used it for European flights with no problem, but I don't want to take chances with US immigration so am getting her a new one.

What concerns me is: will she need a visa to enter US? (we're Brits & have so far been exempt) In retrospect it'd be a lot less hassle if we just bit the bullet & did the whole trip in one go - as I used to in the days B.C. Somehow I don't think the rest of the pax & crew would thank me for it tho!

I'd be delighted if anyone could shed light on this & also if anyone has advice re toddler handling long haul - she loves a/c & flying, but its a long one.

Cheers,

tb;)

[Rollingthunder]

I did a google search for answers on your questions, but frankly after going through the departments of homeland security and the department of state, it turned into a headache. I would advise getting hold of your airline and asking them the questions. Also consider the questions surrounding a single(sole) parent travelling with a child and the documentation requirements for that . Alternatively, go the other way round, but still check it out with the airline.

[christep]

I believe, though I'm not absolutely sure, that the US now requires the visas for people in transit if they would require one to enter. This being so you don't have much to gain from cancelling the overnight.

However, British citizens in general do not need visas to enter or transit the US, unless they have a criminal record.

I have not had a problem travelling as a lone parent with my daughter either within or from the US, although I do carry a notarised consent from her mother just in case.

[GlueBall]

Might be better to go through Vancouver! Skip the U.S. security paranoia and Immigration fingerprint/mugshot mania altogether.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

You should be OK without a visa until October. More info at the Passport Office here: (http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/news/news.asp?intElement=695)

TG.

p.s. I am considering the same route for later in the year. please report back how you get on with immigration. I am tempted to go via the Far East instead, but I would like a few days in California.

[tiger burn]

Thanks for the replies! I'm sure its going to be an incredibly big adventure!

tb

[ohitsmonday]

christep is correct, the transit without visa scheme has been suspended. However as you are planning to stay in the US this wouldn't have been applicable. As mentioned check with your airline, but to be doubly sure a call to the US embassy might be a good idea.
Again as mentioned how about Vancouver, it's a great place to visit.

[plainmaker]

There is no real problem here.

Holders of UK passports are still eligible to enter the US under the visa waiver scheme, and that should present no problems at LAX (so long as you have machine readable pasports and no previous "history").

For those who advocate a stop-over in Vancouver, you are only adding to the hassle.

There are no Vancouver - New Zealand direct flights without a US transit (either SFO, LAX or HNL) so the security ambush is still going to happen. Not to mention that, with the stop-over included, it makes for a very long second sector to AKL

Plainmaker

[kaikohe76]

This question may have been raised previously, but why have Air NZ not introduced or ay least looked at routing from the UK eastabout. This would save all concerned the experience of gowing through US customs, immigration, security etc at LAX. While I understand fully the need for thorough and sensible levels of security, if Air NZ's pax are going to continue to get major problems at LAX, they may well move to SVQ for example and go the other way.

[Pax Vobiscum]

I think the reason Air NZ route via LAX is partly less competition compared with the Singapore/Thailand half-way options, but mainly because its a major base for them with a number of trans-pacific flights, with all the advantages for maintenance etc. that follow (sits to be corrected).

I don't know if you can stay on the plane at LAX, or do they make everyone get off? I know that transitting directly onto another international flight (I was going from Fiji to LHR, so inbound NZ, outbound BA with a 4 hour stopover) was marginally entertaining, trying to explain to a disbelieving immigration chappy that we really weren't intending to set foot outside the airport! I expect it's even more difficult these days <sigh>

[Globaliser]

The US has never been good for direct airside transit/transfer. Such facilities as they provided (MIA, LAX) were usually awful and kept you away from the facilities enjoyed by pax who were cleared and landside of immigration. Just as a proper purely international facility was coming on stream (JFK T1), 11.09.01 happened and all direct airside transit/transfer was abolished. I don't think it's changed back, either - would be happy to learn otherwise.

[Pax Vobiscum]

FWIW I've just noticed that the quickest route to Auckland is via Singapore. Either BA/CX or CX/CX (plane change required at Changi) take some 2 hrs less than the direct NZ001 via LAX.

I expect everyone else knew that already ...

[christep]

Er, if you are doing CX/CX or BA/CX that would be via Chek Lap Kok (HKG), not Chiangi (SIN)! BA does have a codeshare on the CX HKG-AKL flight.

[Pax Vobiscum]

Sorry christep, you're quite right of course! I was obviously too shocked at finding this speedier routing :O