No immigration control entering US from a transatlantic flight

[Eutychus]

This sounds fun!

https://onemileatatime.com/news/norse-atlantic-flight-skips-jfk-immigration/

On Tuesday, passengers on a Norse Atlantic Airways flight from Paris to New York accidentally weren’t sent through the immigration and customs facility. This happens from time to time, but it’s extremely rare. Passengers were then asked to report to JFK the following morning.

Having recently flown Paris to JFK myself I can imagine the bliss of being able to bypass immigration, but this soon pales into insignificance in the light of being summoned back to the airport first thing the next morning. What about anyone on a connecting flight?

Does anybody have any insights into how this happened, how often it happens, and what the consequences might be if you failed to turn up back at the airport the next morning?

[PAXboy]

That is a good laugh. We shall never know if the multiple levels of Outsourcing and passing of responsibility had anything to do with it. But I would not be surprised.

[Less Hair]

I'd suggest you better actively contact the US authorities if you failed to meet immigration and get properly registered right away.

[V_2]

Sure mistakes happen and pax can be sent through the wrong channel, but surely the bags would go to the correct place. I see the author of the article also picked up on this. If the bags went domestic too likely to be more of an organisational failure than an individual one

[davidjohnson6]

Where does US law place the onus on ensuring immigration procedures are followed ? If a person enters through a proper port of entry on a public transport licenced ship/aircraft, is the passenger still meant to go looking for CBP ?

[tdracer]

Where does US law place the onus on ensuring immigration procedures are followed ? If a person enters through a proper port of entry on a public transport licenced ship/aircraft, is the passenger still meant to go looking for CBP ?
Foreign nationals who didn't go through immigration on the way in may find themselves with a problem when they try to leave - not having the passport stamp or any associated paperwork...

[davidjohnson6]

Foreign nationals who didn't go through immigration on the way in may find themselves with a problem when they try to leave - not having the passport stamp or any associated paperwork...
The lack of an entry stamp on paper can be easily solved by "losing" one's passport and asking the nearest consulate/embassy to issue a new one... the harder bit is whether the US CBP would deem a person to have entered the country throug illegal means

[Asturias56]

the only place I've been where people check entry stamps on exit are in various dodgy airports south of the Sahara where it is a great way to enhance the miserable income you get.

I've often not had or misplaced the entry paper for the US and Australia and never been asked for it when I left.

Anyway these days they have you via the EPSA or whatever before you filled in before even getting on the plane.

In the past I've posted about entering France at CDG without a check - happened to me a couple of times and from the reaction of the staff when I fought my way back in to get my baggage it was quite common.

[Hartington]

Passport stamps? The last couple of times I entered the USA (just before the pandemic) I didn't get a stamp - it's all electronic. The problem would be picked up at checkin where I'm guessing there will be a flag on the PNR/DCS.

[Asturias56]

I was stamped in and out of the USA at LAX last August - and I was also stamped in transit a couple of weeks later

[nomilk]

I was stamped in and out of the USA at LAX last August - and I was also stamped in transit a couple of weeks laterTransit in the US? Where is that?

[PAXboy]

We did not get stamped in/out at SFO last month. Just passport scanned BUT they also took electronic scan of fingerprints. Always good to know that the 'mericans are are closest ally ...

[V_2]

When entering at Austin in Feb they didn’t even look at my passport yet alone stamp it. The camera had already scanned me, identified me and knew I had the correct details from previous visits and I got pretty much got waved straight through. After queuing for an hour first of course…I believe finger prints are always taken on first entry on that passport/esta but you don’t have to do it again.

[Asturias56]

Transit in the US? Where is that?

AT LAX you now go through a separate corridor (or we did) into a hall with one guy in it who stamps you in (as if you are entering the US) but you stay airside ................

We were going CDG-LAX- Papette

[PAXboy]

That would explain it V_2. I had not been to the States since 2007 and Mrs PAXboy in '08. We were asked the standard questions about reason for visit and how many $$$ we had bought. Questions designed to see your reaction - rather than the actual answer of course.

[Asturias56]

I once mentioned my day job

the Immigration guy got very chatty - my wife later pointed out he clearly knew enough to know if I was faking it or not

[PAXboy]

My British passport (issued 2016) does not show my employment but it probably shows up on the electronic data. If only I could remember what I put ...

[RevMan2]

First time through LAX in March since Covid.
No Customs dec, no Immigration kiosks, brief friendly inquiry as to plans (with recommendations…), photographed, no fingerprinting, no questions about duration of stay, no stamp, no Customs check. On blocks to street maybe 30 minutes.