UK Citizen visiting Dallas in FOUR DAYS. Help needed - Covid/Borders/Entry/Wed

Afternoon All,

As a newbie I have tried to read through all related topics and advisory already but I cannot seem to find something specified to my situation.

BACKSTORY:
Me and my partner have been together for a long time and are yet to "tie the knot". This will be the first time I fly out to Fort Worth Dallas, TX to visit him and his family for Thanksgiving. I intend to fly Wednesday 18th November, stay for a duration of 10 days and fly back. All tickets brought and paid for well in advance. There also MAY be a chance we get married whilst I am out there but it is not concrete.

During the time of purchase I asked the following questions:

- Will I be stopped as I am not currently a spouse? (Told that this would not be affected)
- How will I prove that my visit is purely to see family? (Gave address of TX house in ESTA)
- How will I prove that I will only be isolating in one location that is my partners house only?
- My ESTA was accepted with all this information but does it hold weight?

Having spoken with the airline they assured me that should there be any issues with my flights in due course then my flights would indeed be cancelled; I have received no cancellation. What concerns me is that they're saying this with the view that I've just gifted this airline £900.00 no questions asked for the tickets.... Thanks Virgin Atlantic!

FLIGHT TRACK:
Departure: Heathrow > Atlanta > Dallas FW || Return: Dallas FW > Atlanta > Heathrow


NOW:
Currently I am sitting on hot coals thinking about the abundance of "what if's". Not only is the trip only 5 days away but I am a terrible flyer and will be travelling alone; the thought of getting to Atlanta and then being abruptly turned around would break my heart. I will try to simplify my questions to you all below but I am sure there may be someone out there also sitting in the same boat/plane?

QUESTIONS:
-  What is the likelihood of being turned around once out of the UK?
-  Is there anything other than my ESTA and Passport that will grant me a better and easier entry?
-  Should I be contacting the Customer Services of the US Embassy on Monday to triple, triple check?
-  Is there a danger in us getting married without anything else officially in place/ should this be mentioned at the border?

NOTE:
I have been in quarantine for 14 days.

Thank you!

Jojo2Dallas xx

If you are not the spouse or parent of a US citizen, you cannot fly to the US.  Simple as.  Are you married?  Do you have kids together?

The UK is not currently allowed UKC’s to holiday.  The US is not allowing UKC’s to enter.  It’s a lost cause without a birth certificate showing you are the parent of a USC or marriage certificate with a USC.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

There are a variety of reasons why you are not allowed to travel:
UK restrictions (we're still in a lockdown.) You're not allowed to travel to go visit someone internationally.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa
From 5 November to 2 December 2020, travelling away from home, including internationally, is restricted from England except in limited circumstances such as for work or for education. Different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You must follow all the rules that apply to you.

My understanding is If you are not a permanent resident and/or married to a USA citizen, you are not allowed to enter from the UK directly into the USA.  Some people avoid this by hanging out in countries that aren't banned-for awhile this was Mexico.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/from-other-countries.html

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspension-entry-immigrants-nonimmigrants-certain-additional-persons-pose-risk-transmitting-coronavirus-2/

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/presidential-proclamation-coronavirus.html
On March 14, President Trump signed a fourth proclamation that restricts travel to the United States of foreign nationals who were physically present in the United Kingdom and Ireland within the 14 days preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.  This proclamation is in effect as of 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 16, 2020.

Those are the official reasons. You do not meet the UK criteria to leave (we're in a lockdown) or the USA criteria to enter (you're not a USA citizen/permanent resident/married to a USA citizen). Unofficially-the middle of a pandemic.  The USA has had the highest-ever daily rate for days.  Texas has been hit particularly hard. 

Sorry, it sucks.  I imagine every person on this forum has someone they love they want to see.  Under current UK rules it's against the rules, under current USA rules, against the rules.  You could get stuck, you could get turned away.  It's a pandemic!

Welcome to the forum .

Given the current lockdown, how are you planning to actually leave the UK?

Holidays abroad are not allowed at the moment, so they likely won't even let you board the flight unless you can prove that your trip is essential... i.e. for work reasons or a family emergency. From what you've mentioned, I don't believe your trip will qualify as essential.

- Will I be stopped as I am not currently a spouse? (Told that this would not be affected)
- How will I prove that my visit is purely to see family? (Gave address of TX house in ESTA)
- How will I prove that I will only be isolating in one location that is my partners house only?
- My ESTA was accepted with all this information but does it hold weight?

Because of the travel ban on non-US citizens/permanent residents arriving from the UK, if you try to travel to the US from the UK and you are not exempt from the proclamations (i.e. you are not married to a US citizen), your ESTA will be cancelled. Only spouses, parents, children and siblings of US citizens are currently exempt from the US travel proclamations.

So, in order to be allowed into the US, you would need to provide evidence that you are married to a US citizen... which you are not.

From the ESTA website:

Will my ESTA be cancelled if I am scheduled to travel on or after 11:59pm EDT on March 16, 2020?
In accordance with Proclamation—Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 16, 2020, the entry into the United States is suspended for most individuals, other than United States citizens and lawful permanent residents, who have been physically present within the United Kingdom and Ireland within 14 days of travel to the United States. In addition, Proclamation 9993 applicable to the Schengen Area, Proclamation 9992 for travel from Iran, and Proclamation 9984 for travel from the People’s Republic of China all remain in effect. Any traveler with a valid ESTA who attempts to travel the United States in violation of the Proclamations for the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, and Ireland will have their ESTA canceled. ESTA will not refund applications that are canceled due to this Proclamation. Travelers who are subject to the Proclamations should cancel or postpone any travel until no longer subject to the Proclamations, or the Proclamations are rescinded.

(https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/faq?focusedTopic=United%20Kingdom%20and%20Ireland%20Travel%20Proclamations)


So, essentially:
- you will not be allowed to leave the UK because your trip is not going to be considered to be exempt from the lockdown restrictions
and
- you will not be allowed to enter the US because you are not the spouse of a US citizen

If you are not the spouse or parent of a US citizen, you cannot fly to the US.  Simple as.  Are you married?  Do you have kids together?

The UK is not currently allowing  UKC’s to holiday.  The US is not allowing UKC’s to enter.  It’s a lost cause without a birth certificate showing you are the parent of a USC or marriage certificate with a USC.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

Thank you for all of your words; I really appreciate it!
I managed to secure flights AFTER lockdown over Christmas, who knows what the future really does hold though..

Thank you for all of your words; I really appreciate it!
I managed to secure flights AFTER lockdown over Christmas, who knows what the future really does hold though..

Are you a UK citizen?  If so, don’t book anything until the USA lifts travel restrictions!  The ban for UK citizens travelling to the USA has been in place since at least April.  I don’t think it’ll change anytime soon. 

Thank you for all of your words; I really appreciate it!
I managed to secure flights AFTER lockdown over Christmas, who knows what the future really does hold though..

Are you a UK citizen?  If so, don’t book anything until the USA lifts travel restrictions!  The ban for UK citizens travelling to the USA has been in place since at least April.  I don’t think it’ll change anytime soon. 

Just what I was going to say.

Even if we're out of lockdown by Christmas, unless the US lifts their travel restrictions in the next few weeks (which I doubt they will, since they have been in place since March), you still won't be allowed to enter the US, because you are not the spouse of a US citizen.

Personally, I wouldn't make any plans to travel to the US for several more months.

Thank you for all of your words; I really appreciate it!
I managed to secure flights AFTER lockdown over Christmas, who knows what the future really does hold though..

When we went to the US in July,  my husband (UK citizen) had to provide our marriage license when we checked in at Heathrow with United Airlines.  He wouldn't have been able to board without it.  In the US he had to go to secondary passport control and also needed to show our marriage license.  He' wouldn't have been able to enter the US without it.  The current rules in the US are clear - visitors from the UK can't enter unless they're married to or a parent, child or sibling of a US citizen.  Even if the airline lets you fly, I highly doubt you'll be able to enter the US unless the rules change.

The conversation you had with Virgin Atlantic seemed to be about whether the flight might be cancelled due to the UK lockdown.  Even if that ends on December 2,  there's no indication that the US ban on visitors from the UK will be lifted.

I would watch for updates on US policy.  You never know when things might change.

All the best to you.  It is so tough to be away from loved ones