Usual US Port of Entry Questions - Tourist

[somethingreal]

Hi mga sis, kind of off-topic, just wanted to know kung ano yung format ng visa number? Yung red code na nasa visa niyo? I am confused kasi yung saken. It starts with C, then I am not sure kung 0 or O yung kasunod. It is usually a letter then puro numbers na?

TIA!

[theflygirl]

^Mine's an 8 all-digit code.

[somethingreal]

^Thanks sis! I'll check din my mom's visa and compare it just to make sure.

[somethingreal]

I checked na din my mom's visa, 8-digit code din yung sakanya. weird. yung first ko is a letter.

[blessedgurl]

letter + 7 digits yung sakin

[somethingreal]

^Thanks sis! At least meron ako kapareho.

[1234md]

ang visa number yung 8-digit sa lower right. yung may mga 0 with the slash sa upper part is visa control number

[warm_blood]

left SFO last August 7, will return this nov 15 for thanksgiving... magkakaproblem kaya ako?

[femme143]

hi @warm_blood Nov 15 din ako pupunta dun. Which flight are you taking? Pal ako to LA. Baka makasabay kita

[bailey_marithe]

hi sis Aquacharly - thanks sa reply

mga sis, dito nako CT. I arrived last friday via JFK. ang tagal ng pila, kasi during that time i think around 6 lang [textspeak!] counters na bukas, and there were 2 flights na dumating. I waited for more than 1 hour sa pila. Sobrang nerbyos ko kasi I don't have an idea kung ano ang mangyayari.

when I came face to face with the IO, mukhang mabait - told myself, this is a good sign. Then he asked me the usual questions, duration of stay, how much money do I have, etc. Then he gave me 6 mos to stay and even told me to have a good night. It was, after all, not so scary. Then I followed [textspeak!] advice ni sis Aquacharly na wag nang kumuha ng cart (btw I arrived via Cathay) and I just grabbed my suitcase and I breezed thru Customs kasi wala naman akong nilagay dun sa customs form regarding the money. And they were talking about something else when I passed by them, so hindi na nila ako masyado pinansin. Wala din kasi akong masyadong dala kaya din siguro hindi na ako pinagka-abalahang pansinin.

[aquacharly]

left SFO last August 7, will return this nov 15 for thanksgiving... magkakaproblem kaya ako?

Baket ka naman magkakaproblema unless you overstayed, as in over 6 months the last time you were there? 

This year, we were there in April (10 days), July (1 week), then August (2 wks), .. inabutan na nga kami ng typhoon lockdown in NYC; then after 3 weeks, back in sa West Coast again (10 days) ... now we are going back in again for just a week on Nov. 20 for that Thanksgiving ekek week, sige.

All entries, no problems encountered.

Hello, pasalamat nga sila gumagastos tayo sa kanila ano.

Be forewarned though... petty theft and muggings are on the rise as per the NYC tv warnings ... NYC and LA daw.  susko, where we usually go.    Unemployment is high, so people are desperate, and the police daw are helpless in apprehending these new small time criminals.  Yan ha mismo NYC channels were reporting in August pa.

[nikki]

SFO was our point of entry last 11/5.  had a nice little chat with the IO and even though i declared i have food (the usual pasalubong from manila), customs did not check our bags anymore.  so tempting to stay esp if they give you 6 months. hehe..

[whatswithjuly]

went to US on july 23 for business trip. mabilis lang interview although medyo mashungit itsura ng chinese IO. was asked usual questions such as how long am i going to stay, where's my hotel, company name, how much money do i have. i was also asked to present my company ID. yun lang..wala namang hassle.

[aquacharly]

Hmmm, sa 1st interview pa lang,  tinatanong pa rin pala nowadays how much money you are bringing in. Akala ko, only IF you declare over 10thou & fill up  that FinCen form for the 2nd interview. 

[mama squeak!]

^Depends din siguro sa pag profile ng IO. Our last trip di din naman kami tinanong.

[whatswithjuly]

@aquacharly: yup. pero $2k lang naman dala ko nun kaya walang prob hehe. siguro tinamad lang sya basahin yung nasa form or just double checking. 

[summer]

^Yeah, there is a regulation wherein PH pspt holders transiting in Canada, and flying on certain airlines (PAL included) are exempted from the transit visa rqmts if their final destination is the USA...unfortunately, like I said, due to my ticket type, my kids and I need one (airline staff tkt kasi)...that rule only applies to passengers holding confirmed tickets...good thing (so far) the flights I'll try to get on are still open...whoopdeedoo...nagulo lang mindset ko cos I wasn't expecting and planning on applying for any visas right now...anyway, almost done with docs gathering...good luck to me!

How do you know if you need s transit visa? I checked Cathay and they indicate which flights need a visa. But how about for other airlines?

[theflygirl]

^I guess your final destination is the USA since you posted your inquiry here. Anyway, if you're transiting via Canada, check the Canadian Embassy in Manila website for current regulations. (so far same pa rin rules. Assess mo na lang which is applicable for you. Application for a transit visa is the same as applying for a short-term visitor visa.

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/philippines/visas/visiting-visiter.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

[summer]

Oh, sorry I don't think I was clear with my question. I wanted to know how to make sure that the ticket I buy won't require me to get a transit visa. I tried mock booking MNL to JFK via CX and at first, the flight I chose needed me to get a Canadian transit visa even if we won't be landing in Canada. So I wanted to know if all airlines, like CX, indicate which flights need transit visa and which don't.

[theflygirl]

^no, they don't. Airlines and their websites just usually give a general statement that you need to prepare all travel documents you need. It's your responsibility not the airlines'. So analyze na Lang the route that you made and it goes from there.

The CX booking that you made, via HKG and where else pa? I find it kinda strange that it'll advise you to get a Canadian transit visa if you're never gonna stop at ANY Canadian city.

CX was specifically mentioned by the Canadian embassy na exempted but only for certain nationalities & via YVR. I'm assuming na Lang you're a PH pspt holder.