US of A, Immigration and the Bahamas!

[italianjon]

Hi All,

Well it's me again, time for more stupid questions, but I am not joining the hundreds who ask how you get a piggy back licence as I am able to search :P HAHA!

My situation...

I would like to do some flying in FAA-Land with a friend of mine... Now he is FAA PPL and US Citizen so has no issues... Me on the other hand am JAR PPL and British Passport Holder.

Our aim is to rent a spamcan in Miami/Ft.Lauderdale area and bimble with some other non pilot friends around the Bahamas for a week.

1) Has anyone done this and could recommend any good stop overs for a night?

2) Immigration - My research has led me to believe that I am, being from Good Old Blighty, perfectly able to use the Visa Waiver Programme ONLY on a flight which is scheduled and operated under the terms of an AOC (i.e. Airline Flight) but if I were to fly myself in on a private flight then I would need a Tourist Visa.

Anyone got any experience of this type of trip. Does the up to "3-month" stamp on entry mean I can re-enter in that time or are there agreements with the Bahamas.

I will obviously call the embassies, but just thought I would canvass for opinion/advice here as well.

Laters

Jon

[Katamarino]

You can exit and re-enter just fine on the visa waiver. I went on a daytrip to Freeport, and while I was on a student visa, my girlfriend was on visa waiver and had no problems.

[Mike Echo]

I would be very cautious about trying to re-enter the US in a private aircraft once you have left on anything other than a Visa. I don't know what the present rules are or if they have changed but we used to take one of our company engineers out on our own aircraft but he came back schedule under the visa waiver scheme (can't remember the details). In the end it was just easier to get a Visa.

I'll be interested what the answer is

M.E.

[DaveW]

One of the requirements of the Visa Waiver Program (http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#travelertype) is that:

•If arriving by air or sea, they are traveling on an approved carrier (See the approved carriers list (http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/87163.pdf)) and have a return trip ticket to any foreign destination;

[italianjon]

Mmm, interesting... Seems I get the same responses wherever I search, even the embassy seems a little unsure on this point. Guess a quick call to the Immigration Station we plan on using is called for, as they would be the ones implementing the policy.

As a side, G1000 Cockpits, does anyone know if there is a licence requirement in JAR/EASA world... or can I do a checkout on the G1000 and fly away :D

[DaveW]

Sorry, the site was playing up and I pressed enter before I'd properly finished my previous post.

I'd intended to add:

However, the VWP guidance also says:

VWP travelers who have been admitted under the Visa Waiver Program and who make a short trip to Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island generally can be readmitted to the United States under the VWP for the balance of their original admission period. See the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website for additional details. Also VWP nationals resident in Mexico, Canada or adjacent islands are generally exempted from requirements to show onward travel to other foreign destinations. Learn more at the CBP website (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/business_pleasure/vwp/).

[dont overfil]

No problem on visa waver. It is considered an excursion or some similar word. I've done it lots of times.
Nassau for bustle, gambling and expense. Fernandez bay Cat island for for friendly aviators and fantastic beach. Cape Santa Maria Long island for good food and fantastic beach. plus loads more. The further south the more laid back.
D.O.

[digits_]

This is no problem.

Check this thread for some quotes and references to some documents: http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/447291-visa-waiver-program-us-possible-not.html


Prepare to be scanned for nuclear devices though :}:ugh:

[B2N2]

Remember you need an E-apis account and file electronic manifests:
https://eapis.cbp.dhs.gov/

[Tinstaafl]

And, having submitted eAPIS details for both the outbound & inbound flights, you will need to phone Customs & Immigration at the airport in the US at which you're going to arrive to give them notification. You must do this at least 60mins prior to your ETA in the US. The officer will give you his or her initials in response. Note his/her initials so that if there's a query about not being notified the officer can be identified.

A bit later...

Flying to the Bahamas/Caribbean has been discussed before. Do a search & you'll find useful info.