Travel

[James Gulwell]

Howdy Chaps,

Im currently working out in Trinidad and it seems the compay has changed the way we are flying out (Costs..) and we now are going to travel through the US.

This requires and ESTA, this is going to sound a bit stupid and is probably the worst question to ask, but I feel I need some clarification.

I still hold a US C1D Visa (if somewhat water damaged and in my previous passport) and on my first visit to the US I was denied Shore Leave at Long Beach due to "its your first time here, you need to make three port calls first to be allowed off" .. I was a cadet at the time and I think I ruffled the guy up the wrong way... they do take the mick.

So with this I had a tiny piece of paer that said No, however on returning to the US from a port call in Toronto I was allowed off in Portland.

Heres the thing, ive just been looking at the ESTA forms and it asks if you have ever been deinied acess to the US. Obviously the answer is Yes, but if i whack a No on there do you think it will get overlooked and ill be granted one?
Ideally i dont want one, easier to travel direct but have to go with the times as jobs are few and far between in the Offshore Sector as of present with the decline in oil price..

Let me know what you think
Cheers
James

[gray_marian]

#1 Hi James, Welcome to the site, [as a landlubber who may be speaking out of turn] I personally have never been refused entry to any port or incurred the wrath of immigration and would not risk it. Had a quick look on line nothing to answer your particular question so think best to run it by your nearest American Embassy, probably hassle but not half as much if you are deported! Meanwhile if you would like to add your details to the "Crew List" someone else may enlighten you Hope you enjoy the site and feel free to share any other experiance

[Ivan Cloherty]

James, depends how long ago your refusal of shore leave was enacted, if in the 50/60's forget about it, as it was the time of McArtharism, and I was interogated because my name was 'Ivan'. As it seems from what you say it was an unofficial restriction then I would tend to answer no, as nothing (I assume) appears in your passport, which is probably the only relevant document in these circumstances

[j.sabourn]

Just tell them the truth, that you have been denied access in the past and the reason for. If found lying will only cause complications. Last time I was in the states they even took photos of your eye retina. Was a lot of bull dust at times as the easiest way into the states was via the Canadian border. Cheers John S

[j.sabourn]

James just on the news here that a seaman has been killed off the NW shelf. Crushed between two containers. Take care the weather is not always good even in Trinidad. What part is the seabase at, is it in Port of Spain or round the corner in Chagaramus. Cheers John S

[John Arton]

James
The C1D (Seamans Visa) was introduced sometime in the early 70's and was valid for the length of time that your passport was valid for and could be automatically renewed at the American embassy when you renewed your UK passport. Prior to the introduction of the C1D visa the boarding immigration officer would come on with a huge blue book that listed all crew members who had been refused a "Crewmans Landing Permit" (that small white slip of paper), which he would examine before issueing the landing permits. These landing permits were not visas but only allowed you to go ashore in the port they were issued in and required you to sail with the vessel when it departed. If visiting multiple ports then at each port they would be examined again and stamped for entry at that port. Sometime in the 70's the situation changed somewhat and the Master of each ship had to telegraph the names and details of everyone on board a certain number of days prior to the vessels arrival in US waters. This was usually done by faxing the departure crew list via the ships agent to the US Immigration service and they would then be able to check their blue book prior to the ships arrival in US waters and so have the crewman's landing permits prepared. This was a bit of a hodge pot arrangement as often the first port of arrival in the US changed from the original due to a change in sailing orders after the vessels departure from the UK, which meant that the ship had to transmit the crew list to the new immigration port, difficult if no fax on board. The C1D was introduced to get around this problem.
After 9/11 the Dept. of Homeland Security took over the overall control of immigration matters and introduced ESTA forms which replaces the green forms that you had to fill in on the plane prior to landing in the USA and which you handed to the Immigration officials at the airport who then attached part of the form to your passport to indicate that you had been allowed into the country. The thing to remember is that these green forms and now ESTA's only apply to citizens of countries that are part of the VISA waiver program.
From what you say you will be using the USA as a transit point in order to join your ship in a port outside the USA there is a section on the ESTA form that deals with this and it requires different answers. I presume you have been looking at the official Department of Homeland Security official website for your ESTA as that is the best place to obtain it, plus it is the cheapest.
To clarify your problem I would suggest that you phone the US Embassy in London (now the only one in the UK) and check it out with them but I would assume that after being denied entry in LA but being later issued with a landing permit in Portland, that negates the previous refusal.
The Department of Homeland security are setting up immigration points at certain airports in the U.K. in order that you can clear US Immigration upon departure from the UK when bound for the USA. At present I know Shannon airport in Ireland has this facility up and running and shortly Manchester and one of the London airports will also have this facility. This is based upon the number of tourists visiting the USA from these airports but it may be an idea to see if they also have contact numbers that could assist you in your enquiries.
Good Luck.
rgds
JA

[Richard Quartermaine]

I was doing a search a few years ago on the internet and came across arrival lists for New York, NY. Each of my arrivals by sea were listed since March 1947 even though on that particular visit we were docked at Hoboken NJ. I did not check air arrivals.
Richard

[Captain Kong]

Just contact the US EMBASSY in London. they are on google,
An ESTA lasts for two years. I go to the States every year and even tho` I was refused admission in 1995 at Niagara on the Rainbow Bridge by the Falls, , still do not know why. I didn't have an ESTA then, I have never had a problem since with ESTAS,,
At the Immigration Desk at the Airport, always be courteous and no wise cracks, no criticism, no joking, and do exactly what they say, They have the power. .Eye balls are photographed and a finger print is taken.
Cheers
Brian

[j.sabourn]

Ref. to #5... If I hadn't of been up early that morning I would not have heard about the loss of a seaman. There has been no further news on this death. Other deaths on the roads and accidents remain on the news for days here, but one solitary seaman gets a scant mention in the media. Was probably a mistake by the TV station for mentioning. Who says the media aren't prejudiced. JS

[James Gulwell]

We had the mention of it on Wednesday morning just before paying off, thankfully a direct flight to Gatwick.
It seems that they were working on cargo on deck (Supply duties on an AHTS) and he's/she has got caught out between two cargo lifts going off or on at the location I presume and has crushed the person resulting in death.

I work on an AHTS in Chaguragmas.

I'll follow up on the ESTA route once the laptop is up and running again. Thank you all for the input all, seems I have the just of where to go now..