Countries you’ve visited in the last 5 years?

[EffyEngland 65]

Hi,

 

I am filling out the DS-160 and am stuck! I used to be a flight attendant and have visited probably over 30 countries in the last 5 years! None of these but one is stamped in my passport as we used our work ID. Do I have to list all of these countries? Or do I only put the places I visited on vacation? 

[2019&beyond 10]

I  would list all of these countries just to be on the safe side. Better safe than sorry.

[EffyEngland 65]

Just now, 2019&beyond said:

I  would list all of these countries just to be on the safe side. Better safe than sorry.

I appreciate that but it’ll take me forever and also some of these countries are on the unsafe side so worried I’ll be restricted because of where I had to go as part of my job? 

[Cryssiekins 976]

Just now, EffyEngland said:

I appreciate that but it’ll take me forever and also some of these countries are on the unsafe side so worried I’ll be restricted because of where I had to go as part of my job? 

Honesty is always non-negotiable with immigration.  I’m not sure if there’s any way for them to check, but it would look horrible if they did, and you have to admit you willfully omitted the information.

 

I forget - do you list your occupation on the DS160?  If so, I would assume they could match dates that correspond with your tenure as a flight attendant.  

[EffyEngland 65]

5 minutes ago, Cryssiekins said:

Honesty is always non-negotiable with immigration.  I’m not sure if there’s any way for them to check, but it would look horrible if they did, and you have to admit you willfully omitted the information.

 

I forget - do you list your occupation on the DS160?  If so, I would assume they could match dates that correspond with your tenure as a flight attendant.  

Yeah it’s just unfair on me when I had no choice to go to these places; and my passport was never used to enter. I guess I will have to list them; I have the respective crew visa in my passport along with my B2 and they must be aware that an international airline would go to all of these locations. The DS160 appears to ask me for my current job which is government based now. 

[Cryssiekins 976]

9 minutes ago, EffyEngland said:

Yeah it’s just unfair on me when I had no choice to go to these places; and my passport was never used to enter. I guess I will have to list them; I have the respective crew visa in my passport along with my B2 and they must be aware that an international airline would go to all of these locations. The DS160 appears to ask me for my current job which is government based now. 

I agree that it’s unfair and a time burden on you, but at the other end of this is a lifetime of happiness with your loved one.

 

There are a LOT of pain in the rear things during this process, but it’s so totally worth every headache and ulcer.  I had a wonderful 16 hour round trip drive to the Embassy for my interview... on a Wednesday.  Could I have flown or taken a train?  Probably, but I have irrational fears

of both  

 

Best of luck

[Scandi 3,970]

They are also going to ask about your previous employments. If you list that you were a flight attendant, but don't list any countries that you have visited, it might look odd too. 

[2019&beyond 10]

32 minutes ago, EffyEngland said:

I appreciate that but it’ll take me forever and also some of these countries are on the unsafe side so worried I’ll be restricted because of where I had to go as part of my job? 

The fact that you've been to the countries on the "unsafe side" is more of a reason why you should disclose all of your travels, so it doesn't seem like you omitted this information on purpose. When you apply for ROC and naturalization, they will do an even more rigorous background check. If they see that you omitted this info, it might bite you in the behind or make the process more tedious than it already is, which you don't want. 

 

Just my opinion though. Do as you please  

[Loren Y 2,732]

This is kinda a tough one. I Know flight attendants, and have some good friends that have been doing it for years. From my understanding when you are there as airline crew, you usually have your own line and entry point at most countries airports, and you don't technically enter the country as you are allowed so many hours, or a day or two to be there on a layover, and you really don't enter the country. Unless you take time off there from work, then you would have to enter by following all the standard Visa rules for any plain old visitor, and you would need to enter the country on your own passport and there would be a record of it. I personally don't think due to how the rules apply to aircrew, same as cruise ship employees also, that you would list all those countries. Any countries you have stamps or visas for in your passport I would list for sure. There's a few flight attendants here on VJ, and hopefully they see the thread and can give you a more informative answer. I would read your employee handbook concerning entry to different countries on your work ID, may help clarify it. Or contact your HR department and get their input.

Edited May 2, 2019 by Loren Y

[EffyEngland 65]

1 hour ago, Loren Y said:

This is kinda a tough one. I Know flight attendants, and have some good friends that have been doing it for years. From my understanding when you are there as airline crew, you usually have your own line and entry point at most countries airports, and you don't technically enter the country as you are allowed so many hours, or a day or two to be there on a layover, and you really don't enter the country. Unless you take time off there from work, then you would have to enter by following all the standard Visa rules for any plain old visitor, and you would need to enter the country on your own passport and there would be a record of it. I personally don't think due to how the rules apply to aircrew, same as cruise ship employees also, that you would list all those countries. Any countries you have stamps or visas for in your passport I would list for sure. There's a few flight attendants here on VJ, and hopefully they see the thread and can give you a more informative answer. I would read your employee handbook concerning entry to different countries on your work ID, may help clarify it. Or contact your HR department and get their input.

Thank you for your help I appreciate it everyone  I know it is a tough one but like everyone says it could just bite me in the butt! What you say is true we didn’t enter the places on our passports certain countries like the US and Australia we had to show our passports but other countries we just used our crew ID! Unfortunately I no longer work for the airline so I don’t have my pass or anything it was my previous employer: I will wait and see if any other crew have been in the same position otherwise I will declare I went to these places and take my crew visa with me and previous airline contract! Thanks again everyone 

[TBoneTX 43,058]

Thread is moved from Off Topic to the Embassy/Consulate forum, for potentially more views and because topic involves a consular form.

[Just Paul 4,591]

2 hours ago, EffyEngland said:

What you say is true we didn’t enter the places on our passports certain countries like the US and Australia we had to show our passports but other countries we just used our crew ID!

Not a flight attendant but busy traveler.   I keep a spreadsheet of all of my travels.   Sometimes I need travel histories for work visas.

 

From former US big 3 FA I used to date.  She needed travel records and was able to get it from the airline and it included all of her work history from training to her last flight.  She just had to add her non-revenue international travel which was on her passport.

 

[EffyEngland 65]

So I had my London interview last Tuesday 11th June and have been put into Non immigrant AP. I am worried as nothing has updated and re my previous concern about the countries I had to visit due to my role as a flight attendant with British Airways- do you think this is slowing down the issuance of my passport? They cancelled my crew visa at my interview as I told them I am no longer a flight attendant and they have my previous employment history and no passport stamps from these locations apart from Indonesia and USA ones. I’m hoping that because of this it isn’t going to cause a huge delay?