Flying to Europe in small plane, avoiding visas
@GtE: thanks for your usual good sense. And yes we should avoid generalisations; still I prefer explaining some weak points in the opening post by a generalisation over making the poster a criminal, or at least suspect. I hope he/she will not be too much discouraged by certain critical replies - my own not least! - and will come back soon, so that we can better understand, and give better advice accordingly.
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The "commercial carrier" is important. If the friendly immigration officer at the border determines you're not eligible to enter the country under the VWP, then the carrier, by contract, has to take you back to the point of origin outside the US. This is the reason that you cannot enter the US under the VWP if you're flying on a private aircraft: The immigration officer cannot force a PIC to take off and leave the country, as that would violate FAA rules.
Does anybody know if the EU has similar restrictions? Because in that case, it would actually more onerous to arrive in the EU on a private aircraft, compared to a commercial airliner.
British citizens need a passport to cross the English Channel, which is hardly indicative of a propensity for worldwide exposure. This also leads British citizens to hold passports whether they use them or not. Similar short trips by Americans to neighboring countries require one of several types of travel document, not all of which count as a passport in the statistics you mention. Until recently a drivers license was all that was required. Americans who hold a passport tend to use theirs to make more significant trips. And of course you don’t need a passport to experience US cultures such as for example Native American/Eskimo, Puerto Rican, Guamanian or Hawaiian cultures... should life take you to those places.
Many Americans are immigrants, who came to the US from elsewhere and now don’t leave.
Many US citizens travel or have travelled in the military, which does not require a passport that counts in the statistics you mention.
Last edited by Silvaire1; 21st May 2018 at 15:50.
I've heard of non-Americans successfully entering the US in a private plane without a visa (against the rules) and not having an issue (presumably the immigration guy didn't look too closely or 'missed it').
Has anyone ever heard a story to the contrary? Someone getting stopped and...
Have no intention of trying this myself, but would be interested to hear it if it's happened and how it ended.
Has anyone ever heard a story to the contrary? Someone getting stopped and...
Have no intention of trying this myself, but would be interested to hear it if it's happened and how it ended.
As I understand it (based on information told to me by Customs man in Nome, Alaska about 8 years ago) it is largely up to the man on the ground, he might let you get away with it the first time but maybe not. The second time you try it expect a large fine at the very least. This is entering USA in a small aircraft without a visa.
That tallies with what I've heard (coming back into the US from the Bahamas a few years ago when we all had visas but another plane that morning had people without).
They got the "don't do it again" treatment.
I'm interested to know what the other options are though? Jail? They can't simply let them take off again and hope they really do leave the US as requested...
They got the "don't do it again" treatment.
I'm interested to know what the other options are though? Jail? They can't simply let them take off again and hope they really do leave the US as requested...
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Jikuda
This would be a very costly exercise and cost thousands and the aircraft would have to return to the US more costs.
Considering the cheapest flight from Boston to London is $150 dollars one way better choice.
Better would be a flight into the Shengen area of the EU as once in then you can move around most EU countries with no checks
The question is what passport do you hold? as some parts of the old Yugoslavia are inside the EU. Serbia is not.
Passport and customs checks are no big deal in Europe, as we are used to international passengers,
US airport are a nightmare to transfer through in comparison, to be avoided if possible.
At London Heathrow, if transferring internationally no visa is required as passengers stay air side and
do not enter the country as long as you are booked to the destination. Bags moved automatically no need to collect.
In fact you would need more visas and check into more countries, on a private flight.
Best of luck but I think it is a no go.
PS Legally a British citizen does not need a passport to leave or return to the UK but does need to prove they are a citizen of which a passport is an acceptable document but any other proof acceptable to the emigration officer is OK. Just need a passport to get into the country you are going to.
This would be a very costly exercise and cost thousands and the aircraft would have to return to the US more costs.
Considering the cheapest flight from Boston to London is $150 dollars one way better choice.
Better would be a flight into the Shengen area of the EU as once in then you can move around most EU countries with no checks
The question is what passport do you hold? as some parts of the old Yugoslavia are inside the EU. Serbia is not.
Passport and customs checks are no big deal in Europe, as we are used to international passengers,
US airport are a nightmare to transfer through in comparison, to be avoided if possible.
At London Heathrow, if transferring internationally no visa is required as passengers stay air side and
do not enter the country as long as you are booked to the destination. Bags moved automatically no need to collect.
In fact you would need more visas and check into more countries, on a private flight.
Best of luck but I think it is a no go.
PS Legally a British citizen does not need a passport to leave or return to the UK but does need to prove they are a citizen of which a passport is an acceptable document but any other proof acceptable to the emigration officer is OK. Just need a passport to get into the country you are going to.
Last edited by horizon flyer; 21st May 2018 at 23:49.
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I've heard of non-Americans successfully entering the US in a private plane without a visa (against the rules) and not having an issue (presumably the immigration guy didn't look too closely or 'missed it').
Has anyone ever heard a story to the contrary? Someone getting stopped and...
Have no intention of trying this myself, but would be interested to hear it if it's happened and how it ended.
Has anyone ever heard a story to the contrary? Someone getting stopped and...
Have no intention of trying this myself, but would be interested to hear it if it's happened and how it ended.
Anyway, my question is about the EU equivalent of the VWP. I know US citizens don't need to apply beforehand for a Schengen visa of some sort. They can just enter into the Schengen area (or, I presume, the UK) after disembarking from a commercial flight. But what if you're flying into the Schengen zone/UK in a private aircraft?
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In my experience, the average Latin American, whether now resident in his/her own country or elsewhere, has a wider knowledge of world history and geography than the average European. This might sound strange, but in those countries there is a need to study not only local history, but that of the mother country, be it Spain or Portugal, which in turn leads their role in Europe, the Americas, the East Indies and Africa.
