They checked his visa on our way out

[Glühbirne]

Okay, I had made a mental note to share this with you guys but I completely forgot until now.

Two weeks ago we flew from Reno to Phoenix to Manzanillo, Mexico. In Reno when we checked in they checked our passports at the desk. When we were in Phoenix waiting for our connecting flight, the man at the desk announced that all passengers who didn't have a PHX DOCS OK stamp on thier boarding pass needed to come forward. We had a RNO DOCS OK stamp but we went up to the desk. He checked my passport and stamped my boarding pass. He checked Mr. G's passport and then said, "I need to see your visa." So Mr. G got out his greencard and showed it to him.

I'm don't think he was looking in the computer..........so I don't know if he had a way to know we were on a round trip. I just found it odd that he asked to see his visa. The Mexican passport was proof enough that Mr. G was able to enter Mexico.

Last year we flew with the same airline from Reno to Phoenix to Guadalajara and we didn't have our documents re-checked in Phoenix. As we were boarding the lady looked at the RNO DOCS OK stamp and waived us on into the plane.

I wonder if they're getting even stricter. I wonder if they would have sent an immigration officer to detain him if he wouldn't have been able to present a valid visa, even though he was on his way out of the country........

[want2b2gether]

that's crazy, i didn't know that they would check on the way out, I mean it makes sense on the way back in, but out!!
that's odd, a least he had all his documents with him.

[Laura]

That is quite odd. Anyway, I think they are getting stricter.

[kitkat1]

I'm not sure but I think it has more to do with being able to return to the US - that's why they check passports on the way out for American citizens now - b/c you don't necessarily need one to get into Mexico, but now you need one to get back into the US.

[gatita]

My fiancé flew to Queretaro, MX from Minneapolis last month, with a layover in Atlanta. He bought a one-way ticket to MX. My mother was taking a different flight out, but at roughly the same time so she was at the airport with us. We went up to the Delta check-in counter. My fiancé gave the check-in lady his Mexican passport, purposely opened to the picture page. She took the passport, and began scanning it for the visa (or at least that is what I assume she was doing). She noticed that there was no visa, I then stared at her right in the eye for about 5 seconds, and she returned it to him without another word and proceeded to check in his luggage. We walked away, and my mom asked us if we saw that they had checked his luggage all the way to Queretaro. I said that I though so, but she decided to go and confirm with the check-in counter lady that his luggage had been checked all the way. The Delta lady told my mom that it had been checked all the way through, but she looked at my mom and told her to tell him not to go past security in Atlanta because the noticed that there was no visa in there. My mom flies almost every week for work, so she was able to take him through the preferred security line. He made it to MX fine, but I did notice that TSA was really checking those passports through security. They were using flashlights and taking about 30+ seconds for each one. It looked like they were just checking to see if they were fake, though.

[Chapital]

On my last flight to Mexico at Christmas they also made everyone go through a passport/documentation check at the desk before getting on the actual flight going in to Mexico....this was in addition to the typical check in and security screening. They are definitely getting stricter. It is odd to me that when so much of the tightening around undocumenteds in aimed at getting people to return to their home country that they are making it so hard for people to leave. At the most, if someone is discovered to be leaving the country they should just record that and let them leave. As a tax payer I don't want to pay for us to detain, jail, take to court, deport, etc people who were on their way back anyway! Craziness...I have said it before...I am gald my husband is already back in Mexico and we're on our way to this being resolved!

[Chapital]

Sorry for the rant

[Glühbirne]

I'm not sure but I think it has more to do with being able to return to the US - that's why they check passports on the way out for American citizens now - b/c you don't necessarily need one to get into Mexico, but now you need one to get back into the US.

I figured that, but then it seemed that the guy at the counter in Phoenix wasn't looking at the computer at all, so he had no way to know it was a round-trip, unless he just wanted to check everyone to make sure.

In Phoenix we didn't leave the terminal, so we didn't have to go through security.

[kitkat1]

On my last flight to Mexico at Christmas they also made everyone go through a passport/documentation check at the desk before getting on the actual flight going in to Mexico....this was in addition to the typical check in and security screening.

This kind of pre-flight "clearance" has been the norm at certain airports for quite some time. For a time I thought it was tied to the testing of the US Visit program - these days, who knows?

[Chapital]

I always fly one way and they still are now checking....

[Glühbirne]

Our airplane from Manzanillo back to Phoenix was delayed 12 hours so by the time we were to arrive at Phoenix, customs was closed so we had to be diverted to Tucson and go throug hcustoms there. Cutoms was a complete breeze. I don't think they made one person from that flight open thier bags......I think they felt sorry for us.

[Chapital]

This kind of pre-flight "clearance" has been the norm at certain airports for quite some time. For a time I thought it was tied to the testing of the US Visit program - these days, who knows?

It was Charlotte, and that's the same airport we went through when my husband left the US...that time they did look for his visa, but I said that's what we were going to Mexico for and they let on on no problem...not even an odd look.

[discoviking]

Last time I went to Norway (2004), they wanted to see my green card on the way out of the US, too. I'm curious to see how the Norwegians are going to react to my new US passport the next time I go....

[Pooh79]

Glu you were so close!!! LOL