Exiting LAX

Status
Not open for further replies.

ITGUY911

Newbie
Joined
Aug 11, 2006
Posts
7
A quick one for the frequent LAX travellers.

I departed LAX on a qantas flight the other day and did not go through any customs / immigration procedures. Just got a boarding pass at the ticketing counter and then queued up to go through the xray, remove shoes area and handed in the stapled green stub (from the form i filled in when i entered) to the airline girl as i boarded the plane. Given the rigamarole when entering this seemed a bit to simple ?????
 
Unlike a lot of other countries, it's long been the case that there are no immigration/customs checks when leaving the USA.
 
The stub from the green I94W form is normally stapled to your passport and collected by the airline staff that check you in for the departing flight. Occasionally they forget to collect it. You should always make sure it get returned as it could make it difficult to re-enter the USA later if it is not returned.

Some other countries do not require passport control when departing, including the UK.
 
NM said:
The stub from the green I94W form is normally stapled to your passport and collected by the airline staff that check you in for the departing flight. Occasionally they forget to collect it. You should always make sure it get returned as it could make it difficult to re-enter the USA later if it is not returned.

I have just been through this lengthy procedure with the Office of Homeland Security, as my I-94 departure card was not collected from my last trip. The onus was on me to prove I had not stayed beyond 90 days.

I submitted certified copies of my passport indicating entry to another country within that 90 day period, pay slips, credit card statements - basically every official document I could find indicating I was somewhere other than in the US. If it happened again, I would get my passport stamped on re-entry to Australia, which doesn't normally happen.

I have received a letter from Border Protection and Security indicating my official documents have been updated to reflect my timely departure from the US. I will be keeping that letter close at hand when I arrive at LAX as part of my upcoming RTW!
 
As an alternative, just go to the US at intervals of less than 3 months.
 
yep, that's normal. no passport control when leaving the LOTFAP ... i think i would rather have their passport control over the TSA Gorillas one has to deal with ...
 
I too have had my passport on occasion stamped when returning to Australia, can you just ask them to do it in case ?

Evan
 
Hawkeye said:
If it happened again, I would get my passport stamped on re-entry to Australia, which doesn't normally happen.
This is THE very reason I always ask to have my passport stamped when entering and leaving Australia.
 
Yep. Get your passport stamped when coming back into Australia from the U.S!!!

If you can, get the officer to put the stamp on the same page as the U.S stamp.

Better to be safe than sorry. I'd hate to have to try and prove to an immigration officer that I had not overstayed. Especially if it was during one of my quiet spells of travel where I either don't travel, or travel to "friendly" countries that don't stamp my passport.

(Oh and also, those little green stubs can be misplaced on their way to processing... So there's no guarantee that if you hand it in it will correctly show on your record)
 
Guess I am lucky to be a foreigner in Oz then - passport always stamped :)

I wonder if the stamps for other countries since I was in the US would be useful if this happened to me :)
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

simongr said:
Guess I am lucky to be a foreigner in Oz then - passport always stamped :)

I wonder if the stamps for other countries since I was in the US would be useful if this happened to me :)

Yes any passport stamp within the period for a valid visit to US is good enough (okay maybe not if it was North Korea or certain other countries).

I do not get my passport stamped on return to NZ - because my passport fills up too fast anyway. I have experienced the stub forgetting to be collected or lost. Each such time I have revisited US I have had no difficulty proving correct departure. The first time I visit USA on new passport I will need to remember to bring my old passport with me :(
 
simongr said:
Guess I am lucky to be a foreigner in Oz then - passport always stamped :)

I wonder if the stamps for other countries since I was in the US would be useful if this happened to me :)
Yes. Any stamp in a passport is proof of travel to that country, and if you have an entry (or even an exit) stamp from any country that is dated after the US entry and before the 90 day visa waiver period expires, then you have proof you must have departed the USA in the required timeframe.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Enhance your AFF viewing experience!!

From just $6 we'll remove all advertisements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and uninterupted viewing experience.

And you'll be supporting us so that we can continue to provide this valuable resource :)


Sample AFF with no advertisements? More..
Back
Top