Originally Posted by
BohaCica1k
Hi, I am US citizen living in Europe. I am about to visit USA with my friend who is NOT a US citizen, he will be traveling on ESTA.
Unfortunately, I didn't think twice and I already booked our plane tickets and we are both on the same itinerary. The same roundtrip ticket that begins and ends in Europe. That is the same PNR (passenger name record) that U.S. CPB can see in their system and that will link us two together. Now, I worry and wonder what are the implications. I know I would be somehow linked to him in the computer systems but that doesn't matter a lot to me. Except that the feds will now know he is my friend :-)
Jokes aside. Let's look at it from his perspective. I am a citizen, I must be let in at least. On arrival I go thru US citizen booths and he goes thru non-immigrant visitor booths. What if immigration notices he is traveling with me? Could he face additional questioning and scrutiny? Does it matter at all or am I just overthinking?
If you guys think this could, in fact, be a problem I might be able to cancel the tickets withing the next 20 hours and re-book our tickets individually.
It’s ok to be on the same ticketed itinerary, as this kind of situation with travelers of different nationalities on the same ticketed bookings is a daily occurrence.
Do note that it may make sense for the US citizen to go together in the same line as for the US VWP/ESTA user on arrival to the port of entry/clearance for the US because CBP may consider you to be the same travel party for purposes of customs compliance. But that’s the case even if on separate reservations.
Enjoy you’re already booked trip together.