Travel Declaration Form
Apr 10, 2021, 4:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London UK
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 66
Travel Declaration Form
What experience are passengers having at Heathrow with regard to scrutiny of the international travel declaration form and supporting documents when travelling to the US, whether by BA at check-in or by anyone else? I'm about to book BA from LHR to JFK in order to get medical treatment in NY for an unusual medical condition (I'm a dual UK/US citizen so can enter the US). The trip satisfies government guidance because the treatment is legitimate and it's not available in the UK, but I can't help but feel a little nervous given the £5,000 fine at stake. Thanks!
Apr 10, 2021, 4:54 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bermuda & UK & USA
Programs: BA Gold. IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 176
Closest Input I can give is that I flew to Bermuda last Tuesday. Used the first check in wing. I didn’t see a single policeman throughout Heathrow and no-one asked for that form. Check in asked to see my Covid test results.
Apr 10, 2021, 4:55 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,059
They are being read pretty carefully when asked for, but given that medical treatment is specifically one of the options and (presumably?) you’ll have evidence of your appointment(s), you’ll be fine. There are far more grey areas to interrogate.
Apr 10, 2021, 7:00 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: LON, between FAB and EGTD
Programs: OWS - AA Lifetime Platinum, BA nobody (blue)
Posts: 861
I flew LHR to JFK at the end of March, on AA. The declaration form was in force, but it was the last day before the £5000 fine came in. Nobody asked to see the form. I checked in through the First Wing, which you would be able to do as an EXP.
I suspect that the police are not very interested in checking passengers on flights to the U.S.A., given the small numbers, and the unlikelihood of anyone travelling "on holiday". There would be better flights to target --- LGW/CUN for example, as reported in another thread.
I suspect that the police are not very interested in checking passengers on flights to the U.S.A., given the small numbers, and the unlikelihood of anyone travelling "on holiday". There would be better flights to target --- LGW/CUN for example, as reported in another thread.
Apr 10, 2021, 9:47 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The bottom line is that you are traveling for a specifically exempt purpose. Not that you will be asked, but you presumably have all of your appointment and other related information for your own purposes. Why not simply print out some communication scheduling your appointment and whatever else seems relevant and not too private and have that handy in the event that there is a question. I would not bandy anything around, simply have it.
Apr 10, 2021, 10:16 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 2,326
I know several people who travelled for medicals to the US and Greece.
No one checked any of the documents on the outbound; Border Force asked on the return at passport check for the reason for travelling in about 50% of cases. I hear that in this case my friends just waived appointment print outs in front of the Border Force officer and that was enough to be ok without any further checking.
Nothing to worry about at all, as Often1 said there are far more dubious cases around ('I have an appointment with a property broker in Dubai to buy real estate there').
No one checked any of the documents on the outbound; Border Force asked on the return at passport check for the reason for travelling in about 50% of cases. I hear that in this case my friends just waived appointment print outs in front of the Border Force officer and that was enough to be ok without any further checking.
Nothing to worry about at all, as Often1 said there are far more dubious cases around ('I have an appointment with a property broker in Dubai to buy real estate there').
Apr 10, 2021, 11:35 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,383
Nobody wants headlines about suffering (or worse) caused by police stopping someone leaving the country for medical treatment. I am sure that any half-plausible documentation would be accepted without further question.
Apr 11, 2021, 12:04 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: living near Malaga
Programs: BA Gold , Mucci recipient. Coffee Drinker, Blue Sky Thinker
Posts: 2,108
I flew out of T5 and had the form folded in four in the back pocket of my jeans, I was asked twice at the first wing if I had it , once at the podium and once at check in. I replied "yes" both times, reached around to my pocket but the offer to show was waved away before my hand touched the paperwork. It was still the when I arrived into GIB and nobody else laid eyes on it.
There were no police or other officials asking questions in the Terminal however I was on a 07:15 departure.
There were no police or other officials asking questions in the Terminal however I was on a 07:15 departure.
Apr 11, 2021, 12:41 am
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 963
Haa to be US. First the US like most countries requires its citizens to enter on their US PPs. Also they are the only people allowed to fly directly from the UK to US right now. To the point of the thread, I have to think when push comes to from a foreign PP would save you from being directed home and probably from a fine as well - especially if one was silent re their UK PP.
Apr 11, 2021, 2:29 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Around somewhere
Programs: Gold, Some red card and some hotel cards.
Posts: 708
Haa to be US. First the US like most countries requires its citizens to enter on their US PPs. Also they are the only people allowed to fly directly from the UK to US right now. To the point of the thread, I have to think when push comes to from a foreign PP would save you from being directed home and probably from a fine as well - especially if one was silent re their UK PP.
Apr 11, 2021, 6:09 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,540
Haa to be US. First the US like most countries requires its citizens to enter on their US PPs. Also they are the only people allowed to fly directly from the UK to US right now. To the point of the thread, I have to think when push comes to from a foreign PP would save you from being directed home and probably from a fine as well - especially if one was silent re their UK PP.
Apr 11, 2021, 10:38 am
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Haa to be US. First the US like most countries requires its citizens to enter on their US PPs. Also they are the only people allowed to fly directly from the UK to US right now. To the point of the thread, I have to think when push comes to from a foreign PP would save you from being directed home and probably from a fine as well - especially if one was silent re their UK PP.