Anyone here with dual citizenship from banned list have to re-enter US yet? (1 Viewer)

[skycriesmary]

What was your experience? What I've read is that you can come back into the country, but will go through extensive secondary screening:

'Here is the process for US green card holders from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Libya or Yemen as CNN understands it now: They are allowed to board their plane and fly to the United States. Once they land, their fingerprints and other information will be collected and they will be subject to a secondary interview, in part, to judge whether the traveler is a national security risk.'

I'm asking as my girlfriend and I are going to Vietnam next week, and are worried about issues coming back into the states as she's a dual citizen, originally from Iran. 

 

[Doug B]

Not going to be able to cite this quickly ... but my understanding is that any and all US citizens -- even those holding a second citizenship with one of the 7 banned countries -- can move in and out of the U.S. freely.

Now then. The trick is: Will this be understood by whoever you may be dealing with to get back in the U.S.?

 

[Tom Servo]

I'm assuming @chet is good to go?

 

[skycriesmary]

Right, that's my understanding as well. I'm just curious about what these secondary screenings are all about. Depending on the process, I might just postpone the trip. I'm not interested in her going through a demeaning process. Amazing how we treat citizens who have been legal for over 30 years. 

 

[Doug B]

Wait a second -- is your girlfriend a green card holder or an dual Iranian-American citizen? My understanding is that she cannot be both, and you mentioned green card in the OP.

And does she have a U.S. passport? Further personal understanding, not authoritatively sourced: if she has an American passport, her Iranian citizenship shouldn't be mentioned at all on the passport. With an American passport, she should breeze right on through. But again ... run into that one person who is both misinterpreting the order and digging in to avoid losing face ... always a chance it could get hairy somewhere.

 

[Doug B]

Yeah, your article in the OP is for green-card holders. Shouldn't apply at all to your girlfriend if she is an American citizen.

 

[skycriesmary]

Yeah, your article in the OP is for green-card holders. Shouldn't apply at all to your girlfriend if she is an American citizen.

Thanks for the clarification, this is all new to me. She has dual citizenship, with an American passport, however it does list that she was born in Iran. We'll see, things are changing day by day and like you said, much will be up to interpretation of the agent at the airport. 

 

[skycriesmary]

Another reason I'm concerned is that companies are starting to recommend their dual citizenship employees NOT travel abroad for fear of not being able to come back in. 

[SIZE=14pt]Employee Message Regarding Immigration Changes and Travel[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]In the last few days, there have been numerous reports regarding the recent executive order which suspends[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] [/SIZE]immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.  At ____, we disagree with the spirit of the executive order and value each of our employees regardless of religion, or country of citizenship or residence. 

Our first priority is to ensure not only that our employees are treated with respect, but also that our employees are safe and secure.  At this time, we advise that all passport holders, citizens, nationals, dual nationals, etc. from the seven countries listed avoid international travel for the time being. If any such travel is planned, please contact ___ for guidance on travel outside the United States and to discuss specific questions resulting from the immigration suspension.

[SIZE=12pt]We understand that rapid changes in immigration policy create uncertainty and apprehension.  [/SIZE]If you are a citizen or resident of any of the seven countries named, or if you have any concerns whatsoever about your status or well-being (or that of your family) in light of the order, please again contact ___.

We will continue to monitor changes in federal immigration policy and provide timely updates as appropriate.

 

[Doug B]

Thanks for the clarification, this is all new to me. She has dual citizenship, with an American passport, however it does list that she was born in Iran.

Where she's born is not supposed to matter. Not supposed to.

I'd say your girlfriend has a very slight -- but non-zero -- chance of having trouble re-entering the U.S. Not helpful advice, I know -- it's just that when something comes down to the thoughts and actions of an individual (in this case, any one of the many people who will handle her passport), nothing concrete can be promised.

 

[Doug B]

One more thing -- reaching out to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi might be helpful. Ted Osius is the name of the current U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.

Website: https://vn.usembassy.gov/
Phone: +84-4-3850-5000

Staff at the embassy may already have dealt with the issues you mention in the OP.

 

[Slapdash]

Yeah, you need to talk to an immigration lawyer about this

 

[gianmarco]

Bring extra clothes just in case.  A lot can happen here in a week.

 

[skycriesmary]

One more thing -- reaching out to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi might be helpful. Ted Osius is the name of the current U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.

Website: https://vn.usembassy.gov/
Phone: +84-4-3850-5000

Staff at the embassy may already have dealt with the issues you mention in the OP.

Thanks Doug, much appreciated. 

 

[bagger]

I personally would not leave the country if I was her until things get settled.

Even the slight chance that things could go wrong is not worth the downside.

 

[In The Zone]

On the return flight home make sure she is wearing one of these. 

 

[skycriesmary]

On the return flight home make sure she is wearing one of these. 

Yeah, we'll keep this at home.

 

[CurlyNight]

I personally would not leave the country if I was her until things get settled.

Even the slight chance that things could go wrong is not worth the downside.

This. Things can change on a dime. My cousin is Iranian stuck in Iran. She and her husband have green cards. We were given this # (CAIR National: 202.488.8787) for the latest updates to assess travel options. 

 

[sbonomo]

What was your experience? What I've read is that you can come back into the country, but will go through extensive secondary screening:

'Here is the process for US green card holders from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Libya or Yemen as CNN understands it now: They are allowed to board their plane and fly to the United States. Once they land, their fingerprints and other information will be collected and they will be subject to a secondary interview, in part, to judge whether the traveler is a national security risk.'

I'm asking as my girlfriend and I are going to Vietnam next week, and are worried about issues coming back into the states as she's a dual citizen, originally from Iran. 

I am dating a gal in the same situation.  She has been here for 20 ish years.  Interested to see how this changes her travel plans.

 

[Doug B]

This. Things can change on a dime. My cousin is Iranian stuck in Iran. She and her husband have green cards. We were given this # (CAIR National: 202.488.8787) for the latest updates to assess travel options. 

It sure does look like green-card-possessing people from these countries are SOL.

If the new administration wants to re-vet green card holders, I can't argue. If they want to put a moratorium on new green cards or on renewals, that's fair game. But a currently-held green card is an agreement of terms between our nation and people of other nations, and that agreement should be honored.

 

[Nick Vermeil]

I'm pretty sure Max Is from Syria and John mx is from Iran. Seriously DHS. It's true. 

 

[CurlyNight]

It sure does look like green-card-possessing people from these countries are SOL.

If the new administration wants to re-vet green card holders, I can't argue. If they want to put a moratorium on new green cards or on renewals, that's fair game. But a currently-held green card is an agreement of terms between our nation and people of other nations, and that agreement should be honored.

Easy to say when you aren't separated from your kids and your business that employees 20 people isn't on hold. They've made a lot of financial investments in this country, are contributing productive members of society. This is the thanks they get. Sorry if I don't feel we shouldn't protest this insanity.

 

[Doug B]

Sky, real quick -- I am assuming that your flights have stopovers in Tokyo, Seoul, Manila or someplace like that? If so, a chat with those U.S. embassies can't hurt.

What I am thinking is: What if you guys get out of Vietnam but get tripped up somewhere on the return leg? Having reached out to embassy staff in those nations, in advance, could get you some piece of mind. In the event that you would have to call an embassy from a foreign airport, being able to ask for a specific person by name (that you had spoken to before) could be very helpful.

 

[Doug B]

Easy to say when you aren't separated from your kids and your business that employees 20 people isn't on hold. They've made a lot of financial investments in this country, are contributing productive members of society. This is the thanks they get. Sorry if I don't feel we shouldn't protest this insanity.

Apologies -- I am saying that your cousin and her husband should be let back into the U.S. immediately.

My further point was that if the U.S. government seeks to change the rules, people affected by these rules deserve fair warning.

 

[skycriesmary]

Sky, real quick -- I am assuming that your flights have stopovers in Tokyo, Seoul, Manila or someplace like that? If so, a chat with those U.S. embassies can't hurt.

What I am thinking is: What if you guys get out of Vietnam but get tripped up somewhere on the return leg? Having reached out to embassy staff in those nations, in advance, could get you some piece of mind. In the event that you would have to call an embassy from a foreign airport, being able to ask for a specific person by name (that you had spoken to before) could be very helpful.

Yeah, we go through Taipei before hitting Seattle, and finally Portland. Good advice. From what Walking Boot said above, she shouldn't have a problem because the US is her second citizenship. That being said, things are moving so fast, I wouldn't be surprised if things morph again.

 

[skycriesmary]

I see the media has confused you as well with their intentional misreporting aiming to make things sound worse than they are.

The only "dual citizens" affected are those who have citizenship in one of the 7 "countries of concern" and their second citizenship is not the United States.

So, if she was Iranian/British, then she may have an issue. Iranian/US should be fine.

The media keeps using the phrase "dual citizens" to imply that the people affected have US citizenship, which is not the case. They're using "citizens" to imply "US citizens" but really they mean "people from somewhere else". Everyone (with a very few exceptions) is a citizen of some country, so using the term is misleading. They don't explain this in the headlines they push on facebook feeds, they bury this information deep in the articles hoping people only skim.

Thanks for the clarification, I'm going to follow up with the local ACLU for further clarification as well.

 

[CurlyNight]

Thanks for the clarification, I'm going to follow up with the local ACLU for further clarification as well.

Good luck. Nothing more nerve wracking, huh.

 

[skycriesmary]

Good luck. Nothing more nerve wracking, huh.

Yeah, crazy times. I feel like we're living an episode of Black Mirror. 

 

[squistion]

I personally would not leave the country if I was her until things get settled.

Even the slight chance that things could go wrong is not worth the downside.

 

[Doug B]

Yeah, we go through Taipei before hitting Seattle, and finally Portland. Good advice.

There is no American embassy in Taiwan, but there is a non-profit American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) that performs many of the same consular functions. AIT is supported with U.S. federal funding, and is operated by U.S. Foreign Service officials and former State Department staffers. Home page, with useful links for international travelers at right.

 

[RokNRole]

I have dual citizenship with the US and florida

 

[skycriesmary]

I just got off the phone with the US dept of state, bureau of consular affairs. They confirmed that because of her US citizenship, she shouldn't have any issues. We'll see...still nervous although I just talked to them. 

 

[RokNRole]

I just got off the phone with the US dept of state, bureau of consular affairs. They confirmed that because of her US citizenship, she shouldn't have any issues. We'll see...still nervous although I just talked to them. 

Now that that is settled we can move on to more pressing matters.

Why are you dating a terrorist?

 

[skycriesmary]

Now that that is settled we can move on to more pressing matters.

Why are you dating a terrorist?

Um...I'm going to go ahead and   at this. Some levity is needed today...

 

[RokNRole]

Um...I'm going to go ahead and   at this. Some levity is needed today...

It was my intention to make you laugh.

 

[CurlyNight]

I just got off the phone with the US dept of state, bureau of consular affairs. They confirmed that because of her US citizenship, she shouldn't have any issues. We'll see...still nervous although I just talked to them. 

I'd call one more time maybe the day before to make sure what you were told today is correct/still correct. Many people weren't informed on how this works and the stakes are too high not to do a double check before you leave.

 

[skycriesmary]

I'd call one more time maybe the day before to make sure what you were told today is correct/still correct. Many people weren't informed on how this works and the stakes are too high not to do a double check before you leave.

Agreed. I doubt anyone knows whats going to change with this policy, including it's  Alt-Reich writers. 

 

[Doug B]

Skycriesmary, looks like you guys are fine to travel now. Can't see this changing quickly.

 

[skycriesmary]

Skycriesmary, looks like you guys are fine to travel now. Can't see this changing quickly.

Yeah, I ended up talking to a immigration attorney who told me that we should be fine. Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[Doug B]

Been a month and a half ... but I'm curious about how it all went down, @skycriesmary. Totally uneventful? A few hairy moments, but OK? A total cluster?

 

[Doug B]

This. Things can change on a dime. My cousin is Iranian stuck in Iran. She and her husband have green cards. We were given this # (CAIR National: 202.488.8787) for the latest updates to assess travel options. 

Since the travel ban has since been struck down twice ... any luck for your cousin since this post, @CurlyNight ?

 

[CurlyNight]

Since the travel ban has since been struck down twice ... any luck for your cousin since this post, @CurlyNight ?

They got back in ok, thanks. My aunt and her husband who have a white passport (whatever that means) got in as well to visit fam. We'll see what we have in the summer, if I'll be able to meet my cousin who was born 1 month after my uncle (her father) drowned and died in Iran in '93. That's all we have left of him, so fingers crossed she'll be able to visit and meet us for the first time. She's never been to the US.

 

[Doug B]

They got back in ok, thanks. My aunt and her husband who have a white passport (whatever that means) got in as well to visit fam. We'll see what we have in the summer, if I'll be able to meet my cousin who was born 1 month after my uncle (her father) drowned and died in Iran in '93. That's all we have left of him, so fingers crossed she'll be able to visit and meet us for the first time. She's never been to the US.

The "white passport" is a re-entry permit. More information here.

Hope it all works out for your cousin to come visit this summer.

 

[NorvilleBarnes]

Yeah, we'll keep this at home.

Trick question

 

[chet]

I'm assuming @chet is good to go?

I dual Canadian/British so I won't have a problem.  Actually going to get fingerprinted for my US citizenship application tomorrow morning.