Returning To Argentina/issues At Us Airports

[Girino]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I'm wondering if this is an issue the US has with Argentina.

Most likely, it is.
It all depends on the thoroughness of the immigration at your arrival. When I travelled to the US from UE, I always got asked at my departure if I got a Visa Waiver or a VISA, even if the plane made an intermediate stop within EU and even if I had a return ticket with the same air carrier. They just know that US immigrations NEVER turn their head in case of irregularity.

 

[Alicia karr]

I had a similar HORRIBLE experience as Joes with LAN trying to get my "fully refundable" ticket refunded ....
And yes, before having residency, I was also prohibited from flying down here(united airlines) until I bought a buquebus ticket to Uruguay so I could prove I wasn't staying in ARG. It CAN and DOES happen, depending if there's been any recent "incidents" involving the airline and they're enforcing the rules...

 

[Bajo_cero2]

I had a similar HORRIBLE experience as Joes with LAN trying to get my "fully refundable" ticket refunded ....
And yes, before having residency, I was also prohibited from flying down here(united airlines) until I bought a buquebus ticket to Uruguay so I could prove I wasn't staying in ARG. It CAN and DOES happen, depending if there's been any recent "incidents" involving the airline and they're enforcing the rules...

That is because if you get deported, they airline is going to be fined plus they have to take you even if you didn' pay.

 

[gvas12]

I'm assuming that if I fly form the US to Uruguay, the chances of having issues will be less (or maybe I'm wrong?). Someone mentioned that presenting a buquebus ticket is also a good way to avoid problems, but has anyone tried this?

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Before I had my DNI I was stopped at Atlanta on the way back to Buenos Aires. I happened to have had a copy of my Certificado de Domicilio. This is simply an form filled out by the police that certifies you live at a particular address. It really has no validity outside of Argentina that I know of. I was able to talk my way onto the plane using this form. However, I would not consider this a viable, ongoing solution.

 

[GreenLeaf]

I had this at Heathrow - can't remember if it was with British Airways or Iberia. They wouldn't let me check in without proof of onward travel out of Argentina. I found an internet place, booked a Buquebus boat to Colonia, went back to check in and they were happy with that. It's a formality that some will enforce more keenly than others. I did the LHR - BA route 5-6 times at least with three different airlines and I think was only asked about it once.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

I heard a stroy of the opposite scenario yesterday, a girl here who is in a long distance relationship with a guy in the UK. Tried to go London to spend a few months of the summer there, as she has done before. Gets to UK border control and when they ask her what she is doing in London she told them "i am here to stay with my boyfriend" ....step this way madam! She was on the next flight home as they understood that she intended to stay indefinitely. Not sure what the situation was with her return flight but i know she was going to return as she had a job to come back to here.

UK border control dont believe in transatlantic love!

 

[ajoknoblauch]

I heard a stroy of the opposite scenario yesterday, a girl here who is in a long distance relationship with a guy in the UK. Tried to go London to spend a few months of the summer there, as she has done before. Gets to UK border control and when they ask her what she is doing in London she told them "i am here to stay with my boyfriend" ....step this way madam! She was on the next flight home as they understood that she intended to stay indefinitely. Not sure what the situation was with her return flight but i know she was going to return as she had a job to come back to here.

UK border control dont believe in transatlantic love!

Perhaps it had to do with her wording: Did she say "stay" or "visit?"

When I was a youngish backpacker on shoestring budget, I once got some testy questioning from an immigration officer at Gatwick but, while I was a little surprised, it lasted just a few seconds.

 

[ben]

I heard a stroy of the opposite scenario yesterday, a girl here who is in a long distance relationship with a guy in the UK. Tried to go London to spend a few months of the summer there, as she has done before. Gets to UK border control and when they ask her what she is doing in London she told them "i am here to stay with my boyfriend" ....step this way madam! She was on the next flight home as they understood that she intended to stay indefinitely. Not sure what the situation was with her return flight but i know she was going to return as she had a job to come back to here.

UK border control dont believe in transatlantic love!

It's a sure way to get you kicked out of most countries. Immigration's job is to look at every entrant as a prospective immigrant (immigrant as in bajocero definition). If you don't demonstrate that you are not an immigrant, i.e. that you're planning on leaving, you will be refused entry. Simple as that.

If you're with your girlfriend, that definitely doesn't help push the notion that you're leaving, and unless you come armed with papers that allow you to stay (fiancé visa, whatever), or offer very convincing evidence of your plans to leave, you will be turned back. Enforcement may vary by country, but the idea is very simple - and certainly the US and UK are both known for enforcing this.

In fact, as is well known and has been discussed (I think) on this forum, there are multiple cases of people who were refused US visas precisely because they were married to a US citizen. This is not the rule, it's certainly possible to marry an American and still clearly be living here, but it has happened.

 

[Don Alberto]

I had this happen to me in 2012 in Lisboa.

I wasn't allowed to board an Iberia Express flight which was to end in Mendoza. I asked for a supervisor whom I showed my 60 Argentinian visa stamps, but he had an Iberia Express rule manual which clearly stated that passengers to Argentina must have a ticket out of the country. With only 45 minuttes to go before take-off there wasn't time to get a Buquebus ticket or one to Chile.

Fortunately my ticket had a four hour stop-over in Madrid and as I am a European Union citizen, they checked me in to MAD. In MAD I went to the Iberia check-in where a lady just shook her head at the provincial sheep, tsk-tsk'ed and checked me in to Mendoza where I get a visa stamp and a friendly smile within 30 seconds.