Brituchenite

This is a spurious argument.

OP could have flown to the US on a different carrier. Then done a trip back to their "Home" country on UA, back to the US on UA, and then back home on other carrier.

UA does not have access to other carrier's manifests or data. Of course, they could ask OP to "prove" that he/she flew here on a different carrier...... but OP has no legal requirement to offer that information.

DaviddesJ

Of course, if OP chooses not to offer the information that he has no legal requirement to offer, then UA has no legal requirement to give him MP status, or even to not just close his MP account. I'm not sure you really want to get into playing that game.

Brituchenite

Indeed.

I am fortunate that I legitimately have two residences, one in the US and one in the UK.

I think those who manufacture overseas addresses are the ones who will find themselves in hot water.

craz

Just go to the PMCO forum and you will find posts by many how PMCO wanted to know if you have a Overseas address on your PMCO acct as your home address , why is it when we audited your acct we found you always starting your trips from the US

You can in fact own a home Overseas but yet dont have a PP except for a US PP. If you have more then 1 PP , 1 US and 1 from whatever Country you own a home in , you just might get away with it as long as you have your foreign PP on your profile with UA.

If you have a US PP listed on UA, Id say expect to beable to prove that you live Overseas besides for owning a home there spend most of your time outside the US. If you dont spend over 6 months every yr outside the US , good luck to You pulling it off.

bocastephen

United is not the US government - there is no 6 month rule to establish residency, nor are there any specifications inside the MP t+c that establish the basis for which a foreign address change can be revoked. If the t+c state you must provide a foreign passport, drivers license, utility bill, lease or mortgage document and you provide that information as requested, there is nothing United can do about your foreign address regardless of your travel patterns.

XCstud

This may have been asked/answered already, but if I have a foreign address for my MP account, with the *G get me access to the United Clubs if I am flying domestically within the US or would have to have *G with a different airline for it to be considered an Intl flight?

bocastephen

*G is lounge access for international itineraries only - nothing to do with your MP account location or airline choice.

aacharya

To clarify - it does have to do with airline choice. If OP is *G in any other airline except US/UA, he/she does have access domestically.

787fan

Regarding the foreign address thing, even if someone legitimately has residence outside of the US, I think it'll look very suspicious if few (or none) of the flights touch the home country (unless everyone is claiming to be a foreign student or expat all of a sudden).

I'd prefer to downgrade my elite status than risk having my entire account shutdown

craz

Very Smart ^

bocastephen

This is new to me - so if I'm on a NH ticket flying domestic UA-operated flights with NH codeshares, even with a UA-issued bp, I can get lounge access as a *G?

craz

You could have said the same when PMCO was giving free PC membership to Golds+ with an Overseas address.Then they cracked down and 1 by 1 put an end to those who were using a non-US address on their PMCO acct yet always flying r/t out of the US

I cant but think that whatever they used to audit the accts back when, they will reuse now to see what a persons flying pattern is and if they have a non-US address listed are they flying r/t into the US or vice versa. If they dont do the audit till near the end of '14 and if a person was relying on the Wavier well they just might end several levels below what they wanted to end as.

Personally its too big a gamble for me to risk. As its very possible to fly 100k and end up as a Silver if they audit and catch a person who was trying to game the system

If PMCO never audited their accts to catch those who were using an Overseas address to get the free PC membership, maybe I would have given it a try, but since they already have the software and used it and after all its Shares that is being used. It will take no effort on COdbaUAs part to audit all the Overseas addresses once again to make sure you live Overseas and simply arent gaming the system

Yep as long as you arent a *G due to your UA or US status.

Its not the Carrier being flown that counts , what counts is the carrier you got *G with. And thats why many folks credited their UA/CO flights to BMI back when, instead of simply earning more UA/CO miles after reaching whatever level they wanted to. BMI required < 50k to be *G

bocastephen

They need to establish some criteria and make it part of the T+C - I don't remember the CO situation, but taking away someone's free club membership is quite a bit different than making an arbitrary ruling that you don't legitimately live overseas based on travel patterns when the customer can provide evidence that they do in fact have a legitimate overseas address, and then surprising the customer with Gold or Silver status (instead of 1K) after the fact.

Ideally UA should clear this up right now by stating upfront what documentation is needed to support the foreign address and coding that requirement into the T+C - it will protect both the customer and the airline and prevent them from making arbitrary rulings that will only create a headache for both sides.

If I have a foreign passport, drivers license and utility bills, UA cannot prove where I am living (I could be using another airline to fly to/within the other country) and does not have the right to make an arbitrary claim without establishing the ground rules.

I think the number of people who have a legitimate foreign address they can prove with a lease, mortgage, license or utility bill is really a tiny blip on the radar of the entire 1K population.

scratchphysics

Should I switch? I have a legitimate un-expired Government Issued Chinese ID showing my Chinese address (In Chinese.....). However, I primarily live in US with my MileagePlus Explorer with my US Address.

Legally, I supposed I qualify for the change of address; however, I don't want to get screwed by changing my address.

I am a US Permanent resident.

5khours

I can't believe people are still speculating about this. If you have actual foreign residence and make it your primary UA mailing address you're fine.