” We were stressed. It wasn’t the most enjoyable journey », Recognizes Vanessa Richard. This Frenchwoman from New York, who found herself stranded in France with her husband following the travel ban decreed by Donald Trump on Wednesday March 11, wanted to return to the United States. She tried to go through Martinique, but Air France has her ” repressed », She and her husband, respectively holders of O-3 and O-1 visas.
They then decide to explore another option: a passage through Mexico which, unlike the Schengen area and other countries, is not covered by the ” travel ban From the US administration. ” It had been suggested to us by my husband’s lawyers as a possibility », Says Vanessa Richard. After contacting the airlines and the French Embassy in Mexico, they decide to give it a go. In May, they therefore went to Mexico City, where they spent the required fortnight, before landing at JFK. ” The agents were cooler than usual as there were fewer arrivals “, Even observes the Frenchwoman. The couple still go through the control room, where an agent checks that they have spent fourteen full days on Mexican soil. ” It took five minutes. “
While the travel ban continues between the United States and Europe, this Mexican trail is the subject of renewed interest from French people who want to return to the United States. At present, only dual nationals, holders of green cards and diplomatic visas are authorized to enter the United States when they come from France. Conversely, holders of non-immigrant visas (L, H, J, E…) are not authorized to return directly from France.
For now, Mexico (and many other countries) is not subject to such a ban. According to the website of the American Embassy in Mexico City, the air, rail and sea borders with the United States remain open, unlike land crossings (limited to essential workers). A policy recently extended until Thursday, August 20. In theory, holders of non-immigrant visas can therefore go through the Mexican box as long as they respect a fortnight before going to the United States and that direct flights are offered (which is not the case for all countries not subject to a travel ban).
Holder of an E-2 visa, Gaby, a Frenchman who wished to remain anonymous, made a round trip between Los Angeles and Mexico at the end of June to have his visa stamped and stay two more years in the United States. . ” I didn’t want to go on forever because the borders could be closed at any time He said. On his return to LAX, the immigration officer let him and his family pass by simply asking how their 24 hour stay went. As he did not come from a “forbidden” country, he did not have to do his fortnight there. ” You are never 100% confident. There was a 1% chance it wouldn’t work Says the Frenchman. When asked if he would advise people coming from France to go through Mexico, he replies that ” it depends on each. If part of the family is stuck in France, if you have the time and the means to spend a fortnight in Mexico, why not take the risk? At worst, you will return to France. “
Risky operation
The operation remains risky. From a health point of view first, any travel increases the risk of transmission of the virus and non-essential travel remains strongly discouraged by the authorities. Then the ” regulations change all the time », Observes Laurent Vonderweit, immigration lawyer in California. ” There are starting to be clusters in Mexico. Borders can be closed overnight. To leave the United States is to take a risk. We do not recommend doing this, especially if it is for vacation. “The lawyer recalls that the authorization to enter the territory is given in fine by the immigration officer at the arrival airport, even if a visa is already in the passport.
Restaurateur in Los Angeles on an E-2 visa, Vincent Samarco had disappointments during his first attempt to pass. Arrived in Tijuana from France at the end of April, he tries to cross the border with his American fiancée, but the immigration services stop them in their tracks, contacting Interpol to check the restaurant owner’s previous trips. They must then fall back on a rental in Rosarito, a seaside resort south of Tijuana, where they will spend their compulsory fortnight. ” On May 5, we managed to cross the border, and they did not check anything », Explains Vincent Samarco. He entered the United States by land, an option however reserved for essential workers according to the texts. The Frenchman said he simply presented proof of residence in the United States. “ I had done some research on the Internet. Everyone advised me against doing it, but I went with the nerve », Explains the entrepreneur who employs twelve people.
Blocked by Air France
For his part, Julien López, French based in Phoenix, had problems leaving France. After trying to return to the United States via the French overseas departments and territories, an idea that he had to give up due to flight cancellations, this holder of a K-1 fiancé visa indicates that Air France has forbidden him to ‘board a flight to Mexico arguing – wrongly – that he was not allowed to do so. Other passengers obviously had the same problem because the Mexican Embassy in France saw fit to publish a press release in early June, specifying that due to ” errors not attributable to the governments of Mexico or France, an airline did not allow French nationals to board for Mexico, without an official document justifying the trip. “
She further recalls that ” To this day, Mexico’s borders remain open to anyone wishing to travel to Mexico from Europe. There are no restrictions related to the pandemic and no proof is required to fly. “Blocked by Air France,” I decided to take Aeromexico (the Mexican company, editor’s note). They know the regulations », Says Julien López. After two weeks of Airbnb in Mexico, he returned to Los Angeles without a hitch. ” The immigration officer asked me the same questions as usual », He specifies. ” Finally, I had more difficulty in France than entering the United States. “
” The best way to be clear on what you can do is to contact the embassies. », Continues Vanessa Richard. If her trip went well, she recognizes the part of the risk she took. ” We were afraid of getting sick in Mexico. Especially since we did not have insurance to cover us there and the cost of health care is high “, she says.” There is something absurd about having to go through a country that has numerous cases of COVID-19 as the situation improves in Europe. “
With Sandra Cazenave
