BrotherLehman

Dear folks,

My friend is in a bit of a pickle having been mugged in Peru and losing literally everything except the clothes on her back. Passport etc all gone and trying to get emergency docs from the Malaysian embassy has been quite a painful experience so far.

However, it seems she has made some progress in terms of getting the embassy to issue emergency docs back to the UK where she is a permanent resident (and where possibly the embassy there can issue a new passport - which can't be done from the embassy in Peru).

To get out of Lima, there are redemption flights possible from Lima->Miami and then same day flights from Miami->London. However, this potentially means having to clear US customs upon arriving in Miami.

With only the emergency documents from the embassy, is it possible to transit through Miami airport (transit of less than 5 hours)? Anyone has any insights on this?

DaveBlaine

Oh no. That does sound like quite a pickle. I'm not a fan of pickles myself but that's neither here nor there.

I will say this though, in the US, I don't *think* she can just transit. That concept doesn't really exist in the US.

If she flies to Miami, she would have to go through customs and immigration to be admitted to the US and THEN fly to London.

In summary, I don't really have an answer to your question but let us know how it all turns out.

BrotherLehman

Yeah it was not worth risking it trying to clear US immigration with emergency docs - so slight change of plans (and a cheaper one too!).

My friend will instead fly out from Lima to Sao Paulo and then Sao Paulo back to London. Thanks to Brazil's laws against fuel surcharges, the return redemption amount is also much cheaper.

catocony

Malaysia isn't a visa-waiver country, so she would need a US visa even with a regular passport.

She'll have to route around the US (and probably Canada).

Mabuk dan gila

There are many different routes from Lima to London that do not require a USA connection. It would seem that is one complication she could easily do without.

Often1

There is no transit in the US. Even channels which provide expedited processing, especially for Customs, are not "transit." Canada is the same. Again, expedited processing, but no legal exemptions.

Your friend has two problems: 1) Validity of passport replacing document from Malaysia to return to UK; 2) Lack of Visa.

Unless you can obtain Consular approval for the entry (US or Canada), I would avoid this at all costs. A good chance that she is denied boarding at LIM and even worse that she makes it through and is denied entry to the US/Canada and returned to LIM.

Mabuk dan gila

If she is a Lawful Permanent Resident of the UK wouldn't the UK Embassy be able to offer some consular assistance as well, and 'possibly' be able to issue an emergency travel document passed on UK LPR status. I know personally US LPR's who are estranged from their birth countries and for political reasons are permanently and completely unable to obtain passports from the countries they are theoretically citizens of, yet they travel freely under the umbrella of US LPR status and US consular assistance. I'd 'assume' UK LPR status would be similar and such a person could get an emergency travel document from the UK Embassy ????

:D!

There is no such thing as a "Lawful Permanent Resident of the UK". UK embassies only assist British nationals. In rare cases, they may assist certain Commonwealth citizens if there is an agreement with the relevant country to assist their citizens.

Although the OP's friend's status in the UK could be evidenced by several possible documents, which may or may not have been stolen, the most likely are:

1) a Biometric Residence Permit showing evidence of Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK. If this was lost, her fingerprints can be taken at the UK Border which will suffice to prove her status.

2) especially true for long-term ILR holders - before 2008, ILR was evidenced by a vignette in the passport, or even a stamp which may now be faded in an old passport. Due to thrift, many such people refuse to transfer their ILR vignette to their latest passport and carry two passports around to travel. If this is the case, there may be more difficulty with obtaining approval to re-enter the UK.

I know of an American and his non-American wife who were resident in the UK. Whilst on holiday in a fourth country, both lost their passports with an ILR vignette; the American was permitted to board on an emergency American passport but his wife was not, as she did not have visa-free entry to the UK for the purpose of visiting. She had to return to her home country and get a replacement passport, while her husband returned to the UK to obtain documents proving her status there, in order for her to reapply for entry clearance.