USA Itinerary - API question

Old Feb 26, 2017, 1:34 pm
  #1  
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USA Itinerary - API question

Dear all - travelling on a BA Codeshare with AA next week MAN-PHL-BUF. The trip is to visit family in Ontario, Canada who will collect us at BUF and drive us straight up to Canada off the flight.

In my API on ba.com it is asking for my US address; we do not have one due to the above. What should I write? Will this prevent us from doing OLCI ?

Thanks in advance for the forum's wisdom.
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 1:38 pm
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Use 4200 Genesee St, Buffalo, NY 14225.

(It's the address of the Buffalo airport. I doubt they will check it that carefully.)
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 1:39 pm
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Transit to Canada, via (insert the border crossing which I assume would either be Niagara or Fort Erie). It's no different to transiting to another flight. Select NY for the state. Will have no impact on OLCI.

In the current paranoid climate writing anything other than the actual unvarnished truth is a bad, bad idea for any aliens.
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 2:29 pm
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So this is how I have filled out my API - "IN TRANSIT TO CANADA VIA LAND BORDE" - there is no final R due to character restrictions.

Name:  snip.PNG
Views: 601
Size:  16.4 KB

State is NY, ZIP code not mandatory therefore left blank.

Hopefully this should be OK...

As Swanhunter says

In the current paranoid climate writing anything other than the actual unvarnished truth is a bad, bad idea for any aliens.
We are painfully aware of this - itinerary was booked prior to "travel bans" etc etc...
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 2:42 pm
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Should be absolutely fine. I've done this with totally unconnected flights before and no issues. You might get some questions about how you are crossing the border but the truth will be fine.

In the experience of my NA resident alien colleagues coming back in via the land border can be quite tedious so leave a good buffer. You will almost certainly get sent to secondary to have your I-94W processed (and pay USD6) and it can take some time. The agents can also be unused to non Canadians/USians other than at Niagara so you might get extra questions.
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 3:23 pm
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Thanks

Returning YYZ-LHR-MAN so should not be an issue on the return.
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 4:19 pm
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Originally Posted by Swanhunter
Should be absolutely fine. I've done this with totally unconnected flights before and no issues. You might get some questions about how you are crossing the border but the truth will be fine.

In the experience of my NA resident alien colleagues coming back in via the land border can be quite tedious so leave a good buffer. You will almost certainly get sent to secondary to have your I-94W processed (and pay USD6) and it can take some time. The agents can also be unused to non Canadians/USians other than at Niagara so you might get extra questions.
They won't need an i94 when they renter the US as they'll have been issued one when they first fly into PHL.
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 6:04 pm
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We were congratulated - seriously - for writing "in transit" on all of our documentation when we did a very similar trip last year. The person who dealt with us at US immigration was happy we hadn't tried to make up an address/leave the forms blank/whatever it is other people do. I don't think I've received a warmer welcome - though maybe that's because we were leaving immediately!
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Old Feb 27, 2017, 1:40 am
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Originally Posted by reclusive46
They won't need an i94 when they renter the US as they'll have been issued one when they first fly into PHL.
Not been to the US since 2009 but haven't paper I94 (the "green slips") been done away with now in this time of ESTA?
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Old Feb 27, 2017, 2:57 am
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Originally Posted by SteelCityBoy
Not been to the US since 2009 but haven't paper I94 (the "green slips") been done away with now in this time of ESTA?
I-94 forms printed on dead trees are still used at land crossings as electronic record are currently only generated at sea and air points of entry.
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Old Feb 27, 2017, 3:33 am
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Originally Posted by drhandsome
I-94 forms printed on dead trees are still used at land crossings as electronic record are currently only generated at sea and air points of entry.
If you have recently entered the US via VWP are still within your 90 days WT/WB then in my experience they will just re-admit you under the same entry. No form, no extra days, no stamp. Have done this several times in various places, WA><BC at Peace Arch, NY><ON at Niagra, CA><Mexico at San Ysidro all when I had flown into the US previously and had exited and was coming back in. No I94W at any of them.
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Old Feb 27, 2017, 8:09 am
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Thanks all - as we are returning via YYZ we will not have to renter the USA so this is not a concern.

However as an aside I can confirm what others say about re entering within 90 days. The last time I was in the US I'm 2009 we flew MAN-PHL-YYZ and then BWI-LHR-MAN. Drove down from Montreal and crossed at St Bernard de Lacolle and we thought we'd have to park up - guy saw my stamp from PHL a week previous and let us proceed I am assuming on the basis of that.
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Old Mar 5, 2017, 10:36 am
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UPDATE - close the circle.

We made it to Whitby, ON last night via MAN-PHL-BUF and the Queenston Bridge into Canada.

No issues with CBP or CBSA. I was expecting to have to go "inside" at the Canadian Border but was stamped in at primary without having to get out of the car.

Only slightly annoying bit was checking in at MAN for PHL when officious ICTS agent working for AA tried to insist my wife needed an ESTA with her Canadian passport. MAN seems to specialise in this kind of individual at the moment (see my recent "e-gates" post...).
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