EllisAndRenz

10 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

I'd scrap the Korea part of the trip.  She said she didn't need a visa and she was wrong.  It is to much of a risk and you might lose the whole trip. 

Oh, just to add some clarification:

- She was right you don't need a visa to transit THROUGH Korea.  
- Then she found your a get the ETA in like a few days.  She confused that with a Visa.  

I for one will be thrilled whenever she gets her citizenship and I can get her on a US Passport.

7 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

I'd scrap the Korea part of the trip.  She said she didn't need a visa and she was wrong.  It is to much of a risk and you might lose the whole trip. 

My worry as well.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

ROK has to be one of the most inflexible embassy's I've encountered.  (But maybe everyone changed after COVID?)

I have one more email out to some tour group at the airport that (according to their web-page) claims a Philippine citizen with an outbound Visa to the USA (she has a green card) can "tour" with their group for 3 days Visa free.  It's still the middle of the night there now but hopefully they get back to me.  

If so, it salvages that part of the trip.  If not, I have to do some costly flight changes.  

I'll never let her guilt-trip me into booking without doing my homework again. 

Thanks for all the help and advise.

I did call DC.  They won't help me as Florida (my home state) is serviced out of Atlanta.  

Thank you for this.  I actually did call them.  They were not inspiring.  

Short version:

- Yes, I can make an appt and go there, but they *still* need 14 business days + time to mail everything back to me.  She said "We don't take personal schedules into account and we have no express service."

So about the only thing going there would do is save me the time to mail it to them (assuming I could get an immediate appointment)

That would have been ideal if we could have gone there.

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

Her Passport

 

Her Visa

 

What does she want to do?

She's asking me for a recommendation.  

I'm asking here in the hopes that someone else has had to deal with a travel Visa to ROK.  Given the information I've posted, would you feel comfortable sending your passport off to an embassy on Oct 11th or 12th when you absolutely need it before the last day of the month? 

I'm just trying to get some eyes on this that aren't as invested.  

Thank you in advance.

My wife and I are taking a (VERY) log overdue honeymoon starting 10/31.  Our plans were to go to Thailand and then spend three days in South Korea on the way home.   I have a USA passport and my wife has a Philippine passport and USA green card. 

Unfortunately for me, my wife told me that she didn't need a Visa to Korea.  (She claims she did, but whatever).  So I decided to check and yes, she does.  

Here is the issue:  The Korean embassy is in Atlanta.  Assuming I mail all the documents to them, it takes 14 days to process and then they mail back.  (USPS mail). 

I asked them if I fly to Atlanta does it help?  They said they still need 14 days and will mail it back.  

I'm not even sure I'd have her passport back by the time we leave, and if not, the whole trip is dead.   

I emailed the Korean embassy in Bangkok, but they told me that I would have to live in Thailand for 2 years before they could help us.  

Would you all take the chance?  If I don't get the Korean embassy, we have an issue coming home.  BUT: we at least get the Thailand portion of the trip.  

If I mail it, I *might* get it back on time?  (It's already the 11th!)

Wife REALLY wants to go and she's accusing me of sabotaging the Korean portion of the trip.  

Am I overthinking this?  I tend not to trust the USPS or government agencies in general with time-sensitive items.

(We only booked this trip two weeks ago ...)

Thanks in advance.  

We just received ours, we didn't ask for it.  I guess that means they are running way behind schedule.  🙂 

7 hours ago, Olly_ said:

The marriage certificate isn't the issue, it's the lack of US passport that's going to cause you a problem for your return.

 

The airline won't allow you to board a flight to the USA without an approved ESTA (you can't get one as a US citizen) unless you have a visa, green card or US/Canadian passport. They won't accept a naturalization certificate - check the carrier information guide here https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Mar/2019 Carrier Information Guide - ENGLISH.pdf

 

If you make it to the border they'll have to allow you in - it's getting to that point that'll be the issue.

 

 

it's also that the passport name doesn't match her airline ticket name that could potentially cause the issue.  This is where my wife ran into problems.

2 hours ago, Palawan said:

That is kinda what I figured was gonna happen, Thanks for the update

 

Did she have to go to the room behind the Immigration and wait there while they sorted it all out at the airport?

Well, it was opposite what I expected to happen.  

I was worried with her married name on the ticket and her maiden name on the passport, she'd have a hard time boarding the plane.  (On the trip down, Philippine air rejected her, but Asiana had absolutely no problem flying her.). She was flying home on Asiana, but since she was in a different airport, I didn't want to take a chance.  That's why I paid $1,400 more to get her a ticket home.  (This time on Japan airlines)

But this created sort of the opposite problem.  Philippine Immigration now gave her a hard time because her green card was in her married name and the ticket was in her maiden name.  They sort of implied she wasn't cleared to come to the USA, and asked her if she'd ever been there.  My wife went into beast mode and told them "I live in the USA, do you think they mailed my green card to Manila?"  They then asked her if she was OFW which pissed my wife off even more.  No, they didn't take her to a back room, but they may have felt she was about to murder them at that time.  They finally cleared her passed.  

Then she got to Japan airlines and they looked at her passport, and ticket and green card.  The boarding agent did ask "Why is your green card different name?"   She told them the story and how she bought another ticket.  The agent said "Oh, so long as you have all three documents, we are fine boarding you, I mean it's common sense, right?"  (facepalm).  

So glad Japan airlines has agents that can think for themselves.  I'd rather have my $1,400 back but it was cheap insurance I guess.

EDIT: Correction:  She flew there on Asiana airlines.  She flew home on Japan Airlines.  

So she was able to get home.  I bought her a new ticket in her maiden name.  Then, Philippine immigration gave her a hard time at departure because her green card didn't match.  After some back-and-forth they let her proceed.  She got to Asiana and they were basically "So long as you have something with your name on it, we are fine with you flying."  So a waste of $1400, but it is what it is.  She's home.  I'm happy. 

2 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Well the one way to see is to try and come back to the USA. You will then know not to do this on your next trip back to Pinas

For sure.  But we should have her passport corrected by then as well.  

She has no wiggle room on the timing of the trip home.  If she doesn't get on the flight it affects her job.  That's the dilemma I'm in now.

Yeah, she failed to get her passport changed, so I may have to buy her a new ticket home.  

21 minutes ago, Palawan said:

American was domestic Correct?  Asiana was for international?

 

If she made it there she is half way done, I would just roll the bones and see if she gets out, she was able to get into Philippines seems as if she should be able to get out assuming she is flying the same airlines, that would be my point to use if they give her grief....

American is domestic, but it was an international flight.  They "owned" the trip so to speak.  She wasn't going to board to LAX if they didn't check the credentials for Asiana.  (They issued those boarding passes in Orlando). She got there and her aunt is adamant that she updates her passport.  Let's see how that works out.  

If not, I'll go from there.  Asiana seems pretty reasonable.  

Good adventure, mistakes were made.  Live and learn.  I suspect she will be asleep for the next 30 hours.  LOL

2 minutes ago, Palawan said:

She will get thru the security gaurd, they don't have version of TSA.

 

 It will be the ticket counter person she needs to get thru when she checks in bags or checks in for the flight.

The guy at Asiana said they should be fine with it.  American and Asiana both checked the documents stateside and let her thru.  Only Philippine air had an issue.  (And they may have been right).  Asiana reviewed her documents on line before issuing the boarding pass.

I'm on the fence.  I don't know if she should leave this to chance or not.  

Just now, Adventine said:

Might be cheaper to renew her passport in her married name while in the Philippines. If she can book an appointment, get all the documents together (including the Report of Marriage which will justify her using your last name), and she is staying for a prolonged period, she might (very big MIGHT) get it on time. 

Yeah, she's only there for another 2.5 weeks.  She has to get back to work.  I don't think that will work out.

OK, so spoke with Asiana Airlines.  While they said that she's fine to fly with *them* in this case, they cannot guarantee that the Philippine version of TSA will let her thru.  Worse, they won't change the name on the ticket since the outbound has already been flown.

I'm waiting to see what Expedia comes up with.  I may be on the hook for buying her a new homebound ticket just to play it safe.  (I fear what the ticket would cost if I buy it on the day of her departure if things don't work out)

She just got there two hours ago.  I'm not going to tell her about any of this today.  🙂

1 hour ago, Timona said:

Worry not about the bag..You're entitled to $3800, if I remember correctly. So, if it even gets delayed by a day or better 3 days, I believe you get $3800. A delay for a day is $500, I think. And when they finally find the bag, they'll give it to you too. 

 

Google DoT rules on this. 

I was able to look it up.  It's a bit nuanced.  They are liable for UP TO the $3,800, but it's only for reasonable purchases to replace missing items.  HOWEVER: That's only for domestic flights in the USA.  International flights are covered by a Treaty of Montreal, limiting liability for "up to $1780"

I just want her to get her bag back, and I'd like my baggage fee refunded.  The worst part is I told them where it was ahead of time and they ignored me multiple times.  Now someone (probably Asiana) will be liable, because American dropped the ball.  

From my research: 
For domestic flights, the DOT says airlines are liable for up to $3,800 for lost, damaged or delayed bags. The DOT says International flights are subject to the Montreal Convention, which established international airline liabilities, which sets airlines’ baggage liability at about $1,780. Airlines are free to compensate passengers with more money, they just aren’t legally obligated to. 

4 minutes ago, Palawan said:

I would get hold of a supervisor for Asiana and have them change her ticket to her passport name, to avoid any hassel or issues when she tries to leave the Philippines.    Don't worry I am sure she isn't the first person to forget to match her ticket to her passport.

 

I predict she will have issues getting out of there unless ticket name and passport name match.

 

Or worse comes to worse you can roll the bones and she if she get outs, if not she can buy a ticket but same day or almost same weeks flight tickets are about 3 to 5 times more expensive out of Philippines.

 

Next time I suggest flying one carrier like Delta, at least if you miss a flight they will take care of the rebooking all the way to Philippines.  Delta is travel partner with Korean Air. 

I suspect you are correct.  I'm waiting for her to land to find out if she has her marriage certificate.  I have a copy of it with me, so I'll endeavor to get the name changed.  

We did look at Delta, but they were quite literally, double the price.  Aside from that unbearably rude agent at American, they were insanely great with getting her rebooked and getting her there.  If I had to complain about one thing, it's her bag.  I told them so many times before she got to LAX to try and get her bag back with her flights.  All they kept parroting was "File a missing bag report upon arrival".  Zero effort to avoid that.  God only knows how long it will take them to get her back from LAX to Manila and her hotel.  

1 minute ago, Palawan said:

I predict she will have a very difficult time getting out of the Philippines 

 

I would call and try to get her name changed on the return flight to match her current passport.

 

Or try to renew passport in the Philippines which could be a major hassel and take alot of time

 

Or just buy a new ticket with current passport name, and deal with refund or flight credit afterwards

 

What airline is she taking to leave Philippines?

She's coming home on the same airline that took her there.  Asiana.  Changing to AA in LAX.

Just now, powerpuff said:

Please understand that it’s okay and completely fine for US immigration (CBP) side of things. However, It will cause issues with the airlines as it did with Philippine airlines. They were correct in giving you hard time about it. If changing her passport is too much hassle as can be in some countries, your best bet is to call the airline and change the name in the booking to her maiden name to avoid any more unpleasant interactions.

Thanks.  Had they not had a separate section during booking for "Passport name", I'd have booked in the maiden name.  

There are times when old fashioned travel agents would be helpful.  

1 minute ago, powerpuff said:

100% correct 

I did find this, so with her marriage cert, she should be OK, yes?

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1209?language=en_US

Just now, Talako said:

Buying a ticket is under your control.  Why would you book it under her married name if she has no passport to match?  Maybe I missed a thread earlier about your plans.  I know everyone here would have counseled you to make sure to use the the name on the passport.  The difference between the names between her passport and Green Card are handled here at US Immigration with a marriage certificate.  The controlling document everywhere else is the passport and the name there. 

 

Well, the airline asked for her name, which her green card was in.  (Was worried about her re-entry).  Then the airline asked for the passport, and I entered her maiden name in that field.  They checked at the airport and she was fine.  (Other than Philippine air)

I'm reading if she has her marriage certificate, she should be OK.  

Otherwise I'll see if she can update her passport while in Manila.

As is the case with everything we do, my wife's trip back to Manila has become an adventure.

First: The flight was delayed out of Orlando, and for whatever reason they put her on the next day's flight.  Then her overweight bag (Filipinas bring home tons of stuff for the family) flew off to LAX without her.  (Where, as far as I can tell, it still sits).

The next day her flight was delayed by 5 hours again, causing her to miss her connection with Asiana Airlines.  American rebooked her on Philippine air out of SFO.  She got to LAX, and shuttled her to SFO.  After a 6 hour wait she went to board.  

Unlike Asiana Airlines, Philippine Airlines wouldn't accept her passport in her maiden name and denied her booking.  (Why the Philippine flag carrier wouldn't take one of their own citizens home blows my mind).  After I had a yelling match with a really annoying AA call center agent who insisted on talking over me and treating me like an idiot, I got another agent who was very helpful.  He rebooked her on Asiana thru Seoul, but it was another 5 hour wait in SFO, and then a 16 hour layover in Inchon.  She got to Inchon and all the in-terminal hotels were booked.  (She couldn't leave without a Korea visa).  All of the showers were closed due to COVID.(A bit insane)  She found a nap room and slept a bit.  

As of an hour ago, she FINALLY boarded her flight to Manila.  She's exhausted (as am I).  

Now I worry about her coming home.  Her ticket is in her married name (as is her green card).  Her passport is in her maiden name.  I'm hoping that's good enough for the USA trip back.

35 minutes ago, Palawan said:

Domestic airport seizing cash from passengers

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-1NxEOq-DA&t=19s

 

Cash Grab Investigation: Government seizes billions in cash from air travelers (Part 2) - YouTube

 

 

That is absolutely terrifying.  

21 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

Just carry the cash. I have that amount or more just about every-time I leave the US. I use a money belt, and declare anything over the limit. If you get some idiot customs agent that wants you to whip out 15K cash so he can count it in front of everybody in customs, politely inform him you value your life, and are not going to count out cash on his podium, but you are more than willing to go to a secure area and they can verify with a few people in the room. Usually this results in a go ahead and move on statement, no issues, and away you go. Only once in a foreign country have I had them actually take me to a room and count and verify the money.

There are some legal issues here.  First: In the USA there are IRS forms to fill out to declare the transfer out of the country.  According to the Philippine Gov't web-site, transferring over $10k cash into or out of the Philippines is actually illegal.  

1 minute ago, Carpe Vinum said:

My wife was able to set up an account at BPI all in one day when she was there in April 2022. My wife also carried in $4000 in cash but that is under the declarable amount. She had no issues.

I assume at that point, you transferred the funds into her account via wire?