Denied Boarding: Visa
Mar 16, 2009, 7:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in transit
Programs: Delta DM, *A Plat
Posts: 322
Denied Boarding: Visa
I was scheduled to fly JFK-ACC on Sunday.
I was denied boarding because I did not have a Ghana visa.
However, in the past I have gotten a transit visa on arrival in Accra for a direct car ride to Lome, Togo.
The dispute with the check-in agent and supervisor came down to whether the car ride from Accra to Lome counts as transit. Obviously it does. Their position was transit is only intra-airport transit. I have entered the country this way before, there is a transit visa on arrival desk at immigration, and the transit visa is good for 48 hours, outside of the airport. I have a valid Togo visa and reservations at a hotel in Lome.
Clearly the gate agents were wrong and as a result I have had to postpone my business.
Recommendations on what to do? Obviously a letter, but anyone else had a similar experience?
Many thanks.
I was denied boarding because I did not have a Ghana visa.
However, in the past I have gotten a transit visa on arrival in Accra for a direct car ride to Lome, Togo.
The dispute with the check-in agent and supervisor came down to whether the car ride from Accra to Lome counts as transit. Obviously it does. Their position was transit is only intra-airport transit. I have entered the country this way before, there is a transit visa on arrival desk at immigration, and the transit visa is good for 48 hours, outside of the airport. I have a valid Togo visa and reservations at a hotel in Lome.
Clearly the gate agents were wrong and as a result I have had to postpone my business.
Recommendations on what to do? Obviously a letter, but anyone else had a similar experience?
Many thanks.
Mar 16, 2009, 7:51 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
If such was the case, I would buy a refundable ACC-XXX ticket to show them, and then refund it once you are there. I'd say the may be within their rights to refuse you service. No visa in advance, and is the car service an allowed thing, in their eyes? Probably not. I think they get dinged big, if they bring someone there who doesn't have a valid visa. 10k or such in some countries?
Mar 16, 2009, 9:48 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Atlanta,Ga, USA
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 410
looks like the agents are correct. Per IATA/Timatic website for Ghana it states the following:
Passport required.
- Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid
on arrival.
Visa required.
Visa Issuance:
- On arrival: if required a visa can be obtained by holders of
normal passports, provided For details, click here(text is shown below)
- Fee: USD 100.-.
Visa Issuance:
- On arrival: if required a visa can be obtained by holders of
normal passports, provided prior approval has been obtained
(minimum of 48 hours required) with the Director of
Immigration (exempt are former nationals of Ghana),
supported by a copy of the bio data and photo page of the
applicant's passport. The application can be made by the
visitor's host, business partner/sponsor or directly by fax:
+233 21 258249; or by e-mail at [email protected]. The
traveller is required to hold a letter of confirmation of
the visa approval, issued by the Ghana Immigration Service,
which should contain the entry visa number and passport
number of the traveller.
- Fee: USD 100.-.
Warning:
- Non-compliance with entry/transit regulations results in
heavy fines (GHC 5,000,000.-).
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Those continuing their journey to a
third country within 24 hours, provided holding tickets with
reserved seats and other documents for their onward journey.
Leaving the airport is not allowed:
Warning:
- Non-compliance with entry/transit regulations results in
heavy fines (GHC 5,000,000.-).
Good Luck,
Jwhuffman
**The above comments are that of my own and does not represent the Comments/Rules/Policies/Suggestions/Etc. of Delta Airlines, Inc.**
Passport required.
- Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid
on arrival.
Visa required.
Visa Issuance:
- On arrival: if required a visa can be obtained by holders of
normal passports, provided For details, click here(text is shown below)
- Fee: USD 100.-.
Visa Issuance:
- On arrival: if required a visa can be obtained by holders of
normal passports, provided prior approval has been obtained
(minimum of 48 hours required) with the Director of
Immigration (exempt are former nationals of Ghana),
supported by a copy of the bio data and photo page of the
applicant's passport. The application can be made by the
visitor's host, business partner/sponsor or directly by fax:
+233 21 258249; or by e-mail at [email protected]. The
traveller is required to hold a letter of confirmation of
the visa approval, issued by the Ghana Immigration Service,
which should contain the entry visa number and passport
number of the traveller.
- Fee: USD 100.-.
Warning:
- Non-compliance with entry/transit regulations results in
heavy fines (GHC 5,000,000.-).
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Those continuing their journey to a
third country within 24 hours, provided holding tickets with
reserved seats and other documents for their onward journey.
Leaving the airport is not allowed:
Warning:
- Non-compliance with entry/transit regulations results in
heavy fines (GHC 5,000,000.-).
Good Luck,
Jwhuffman
**The above comments are that of my own and does not represent the Comments/Rules/Policies/Suggestions/Etc. of Delta Airlines, Inc.**
Last edited by jwhuffman; Mar 17, 2009 at 7:12 am
Mar 16, 2009, 10:58 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Atlanta
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Silver, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 3,656
As far as Delta is concerned you did not have proper documention to enter the country. I wouldn't think that they would consider a car for "transit" purposes. If I were you I wouldn't be looking for any compensation or recourse. If you feel so strong about it write to the Ghana embasay and see what they have to say about it. All this information is put out by IATA/Timatic which jwhuffman has provided and Delta is obligated to go by. If the information is truly wrong go after IATA.
Mar 16, 2009, 11:10 pm
#5
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Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
National U.S.A. (US) /Embarkation U.S.A. (US)
Transit Ghana (GH) /Destination Togo (TG)
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW
Visa Information - Transit
Ghana (GH)
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Those continuing their journey to a
third country within 24 hours, provided holding tickets with
reserved seats and other documents for their onward journey.
Leaving the airport is not allowed:
Warning:
- Non-compliance with entry/transit regulations results in
heavy fines (GHC 5,000,000.-).
Transit Ghana (GH) /Destination Togo (TG)
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW
Visa Information - Transit
Ghana (GH)
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Those continuing their journey to a
third country within 24 hours, provided holding tickets with
reserved seats and other documents for their onward journey.
Leaving the airport is not allowed:
Warning:
- Non-compliance with entry/transit regulations results in
heavy fines (GHC 5,000,000.-).
Mar 16, 2009, 11:36 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
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However, the Old Ghanaian Cedi (GHC) is obsolete. It was replaced with the New Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) on July 1 2007. 10000 GHC are equivalent to 1 GHC
Mar 17, 2009, 10:10 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SRQ/TPA
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Posts: 914
Mar 17, 2009, 10:17 am
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,927
On my last flight ATL-TLV I showed my American passport at check in and was told that I would not be allowed on the plane because there was no Israeli visa. I solved the problem on the spot by showing my Israeli passport but I had to laugh -- Israel does not require Americans to have visas in advance (they are issued at TLV upon arrival) and no airline had ever required me to show a visa before embarking.
Mar 17, 2009, 10:23 am
#9
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I hope you got the names of the check-in agenet and supervisor who you had the "dispute" with so you can praise their obviously superior knowledge of the visa rules in your letter.
Mar 17, 2009, 10:31 am
#10
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Isn't it amazing that the airline employees aren't always as incompetent as many FT'ers assume they are?
I hope you got the names of the check-in agenet and supervisor who you had the "dispute" with so you can praise their obviously superior knowledge of the visa rules in your letter.
I hope you got the names of the check-in agenet and supervisor who you had the "dispute" with so you can praise their obviously superior knowledge of the visa rules in your letter.
Honestly, if I were the OP, I wouldn't write a letter on this one. The OP was obviously wrong and writing a letter just means that they might document the OP as a "difficult" passenger.
Just because the OP talked their way around it in the past doesn't make it legal. I would leave well enough alone here and chalk it up to experience.
Mar 17, 2009, 11:36 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in transit
Programs: Delta DM, *A Plat
Posts: 322
OK, fair enough, I understand Delta is doing what the computer said.
But I also had previously obtained advice on how to do an on arrival transit visa on FT (in a link on Air Ivoire). There is a dedicated desk at Accra for getting the transit visa on arrival. There is no problem and it costs USD 20. The transit visa is for 48 hours and every immigration person understands that the car ride to Lome and back is transit. I've been in and out of Ghana at least 20 times over the past three months.
I did not have to talk my way around the situation previously, the issue was never brought up.
Anyway, thanks for the responses.
But I also had previously obtained advice on how to do an on arrival transit visa on FT (in a link on Air Ivoire). There is a dedicated desk at Accra for getting the transit visa on arrival. There is no problem and it costs USD 20. The transit visa is for 48 hours and every immigration person understands that the car ride to Lome and back is transit. I've been in and out of Ghana at least 20 times over the past three months.
I did not have to talk my way around the situation previously, the issue was never brought up.
Anyway, thanks for the responses.
Mar 17, 2009, 11:45 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
So, as a holder of a USA passport, you used an Israeli passport to validate your foreign travel exit from the USA. Federal law violation?
Last edited by 41shots; Mar 17, 2009 at 11:51 am
Mar 17, 2009, 11:56 am
#13
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Of course, if I don't have a passport (from some country) I will not be allowed on the plane and, if I do get on, I will be refused entry to whatever country I am going to.
Mar 17, 2009, 12:09 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
No. I am required to enter the US on my American passport (and I did) but I am not required, under American law, to even have a passport to exit the country.
Of course, if I don't have a passport (from some country) I will not be allowed on the plane and, if I do get on, I will be refused entry to whatever country I am going to.
Of course, if I don't have a passport (from some country) I will not be allowed on the plane and, if I do get on, I will be refused entry to whatever country I am going to.
According to Section 215 of the U.S Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1185) it is illegal for an American citizen to enter or leave the U.S on anything other than an American document. This applies to dual citizens as well, meaning that persons holding e.g. both Swiss and American citizenships MUST enter and leave the U.S. on a valid U.S. passport; they may NOT enter/leave the U.S. on a Swiss passport. This applies to children as well as adults.
Mar 17, 2009, 12:15 pm
#15
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Not wishing to bushwhack you, but I just found this:
According to Section 215 of the U.S Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1185) it is illegal for an American citizen to enter or leave the U.S on anything other than an American document. This applies to dual citizens as well, meaning that persons holding e.g. both Swiss and American citizenships MUST enter and leave the U.S. on a valid U.S. passport; they may NOT enter/leave the U.S. on a Swiss passport. This applies to children as well as adults.
According to Section 215 of the U.S Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1185) it is illegal for an American citizen to enter or leave the U.S on anything other than an American document. This applies to dual citizens as well, meaning that persons holding e.g. both Swiss and American citizenships MUST enter and leave the U.S. on a valid U.S. passport; they may NOT enter/leave the U.S. on a Swiss passport. This applies to children as well as adults.
In any case, I am covered. As I said, the last TLV-ATL flight was the only one where I was asked to show my Israeli passport -- and even then, I had presented my US passport first.