Ukuhamba ngekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi kuhlala kuwumbono omubi, futhi u-Sheila Bergara usanda kufunda lokhu kabuhlungu.
Phambilini, izinhlelo zikaBergara nomyeni wakhe zokuya eholidini ezindaweni ezishisayo zaphela kungazelelwe endaweni yokungena e-United Airlines. Lapho, ummeleli wendiza watshela uBergara ukuthi wayengenakukwazi ukungena eMexico evela e-United States ngekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi. Ngenxa yalokhu, i-United Airlines yaphika ukuthi lo mbhangqwana ugibele indiza eya eCancun.
Umyeni kaSheila, uPaul, uthe inkampani yezindiza yenza iphutha ngokunqabela izithandani ukugibela futhi zacekela phansi izinhlelo zazo zeholide. Ugcizelele ukuthi ukuvuselelwa kwekhadi eliluhlaza likankosikazi wakhe kuzomvumela ukuthi aye phesheya. Kodwa i-United ayizange ivume futhi yalucubungula lolu daba.
UPaul ufuna i-United iphinde ivule isikhalazo sakhe futhi uyavuma ukuthi wenze iphutha elabiza u-$3,000 ukulilungisa.
Ukholelwa ukuthi iqiniso lokuthi lo mbhangqwana wandiza waya eMexico ngakusasa ngeSpirit Airlines libonisa udaba lwakhe. Kodwa ingabe kunjalo?
Ngentwasahlobo edlule, uPaul nomkakhe bamukele izimemo zomshado wangoJulayi eMexico. Nokho, uSheila, isakhamuzi sase-United States esinemibandela, wayenenkinga: ikhadi lakhe eliluhlaza lalisanda kuphelelwa yisikhathi.
Naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi wafaka isicelo semvume yokuhlala entsha ngesikhathi, inqubo yokugunyazwa yathatha izinyanga eziyi-12-18. Wayazi ukuthi ikhadi elisha eliluhlaza kwakungenakwenzeka ukuthi lifike ngesikhathi ohambweni.
Umhambi ongumakadebona uPaul wenze ucwaningo oluncane ngokufunda incwadi yokuqondisa kuwebhusayithi yenxusa laseMexico. Ngokusekelwe kulolu lwazi, unqume ukuthi ikhadi eliluhlaza likaSheila eliphelelwe yisikhathi ngeke limvimbe ukuthi aye eCancun.
“Ngesikhathi sisalinde ikhadi elisha eliluhlaza lomkami, wathola ifomu elithi I-797. Lo mbhalo welula i-green card enemibandela eminye iminyaka emibili,” kuchaza uPaul kimi. “Ngakho-ke besingalindele izinkinga ngeMexico.”
Ngokuqiniseka ukuthi konke kuhamba ngononina, lo mbhangqwana wasebenzisa i-Expedia ukubhuka indiza engami usuka eChicago uya eCancun futhi ubheke ngabomvu uhambo oluya eMexico. Babengasawacabangi amakhadi aluhlaza aphelelwe yisikhathi.
Kuze kube usuku abalungela ngalo ukuhamba uhambo oluya ezindaweni ezishisayo. Kusukela lapho, ukuya phesheya ngekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi ngokusobala akuwona umqondo omuhle.
Umbhangqwana uhlele ukuphuza i-coconut rum ogwini lolwandle lwaseCaribbean ngaphambi kwesidlo sasemini, bafike esikhumulweni sezindiza ekuseni kakhulu ngalolo suku. Beya kwikhawunta ye-United Airlines, bahambisa wonke amaphepha futhi ngesineke balinda ipasi lokugibela. Bengalindele noma iyiphi inkinga, baxoxa ngenkathi umenzeli ohlanganyelwe ebhala kukhibhodi.
Kuthe uma kungakhishwa i-boarding pass ngemuva kwesikhathi, izithandani zaqala ukuzibuza ukuthi yini imbangela yokubambezeleka.
Umenzeli onolaka wabheka esikrinini sekhompyutha ukuze alethe izindaba ezimbi: U-Sheila akakwazanga ukuya e-Mexico ngekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi. Iphasipoti yakhe esemthethweni yesi-Filipino iphinde imvimbele ukuthi adlule ezinqubweni zokuthuthela kwelinye izwe e-Cancun. Abenzeli be-United Airlines babatshele ukuthi udinga i-visa yaseMexico ukuze agibele endizeni.
UPaul wazama ukubonisana nommeleli, echaza ukuthi Ifomu I-797 igcina amandla ekhadi eliluhlaza.
“Wangitshela ukuthi cha. I-ejenti yabe isisikhombisa incwadi yangaphakathi eyayithi i-United ihlawuliswe ngokuyisa abanikazi be-I-797 eMexico,” kusho uPaul. "Usitshele ukuthi lena akuyona inqubomgomo yenkampani yezindiza, kodwa inqubomgomo kahulumeni waseMexico."
UPawulu wathi wayeqiniseka ukuthi i-ejenti yayinephutha, kodwa waqaphela ukuthi kwakungekho sizathu sokuqhubeka nokuphikisana. Lapho ummeli ephakamisa ukuthi uPaul noSheila bakhansele indiza yabo ukuze bathole isikweletu se-United ngezindiza ezizayo, uyavuma.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi ngizosebenza ngakho kamuva ne-United,” kusho uPaul kimina. Okokuqala, ngidinga ukuthola ukuthi ngingasiyisa kanjani emshadweni eMexico.
U-Paul washeshe waziswa ukuthi i-United Airlines ikhansele ukubhukha kwayo futhi yabanikeza ikhredithi yendiza yesikhathi esizayo engu-$1,147 ngendiza ephuthelwe eya eCancun. Kepha lo mbhangqwana ubhukhe uhambo nge-Expedia, ehlele uhambo njengamathikithi amabili okuya eyodwa angahlobene. Ngakho-ke, amathikithi okubuya e-Frontier awabuyiswa. Inkampani yezindiza ikhokhise umbhangqwana imali yokukhansela engu-$458 futhi yanikeza u-$1,146 njengekhredithi yezindiza ezizayo. I-Expedia iphinde yakhokhisa laba bashadikazi imali yokukhansela engu-$99.
UPaul wabe esebheka iSpirit Airlines, athemba ukuthi ngeke idale inkinga njenge-United.
“Ngabhuka indiza kaSpirit ngosuku olulandelayo ukuze singaphuthelwa lonke uhambo. Amathikithi omzuzu wokugcina abiza ngaphezulu kuka-$2,000,” kusho uPaul. “Kuyindlela ebizayo yokulungisa amaphutha e-United, kodwa akukho engingakwenza.”
Ngosuku olulandelayo, lo mbhangqwana waya ekhawuntani yokungena e-Spirit Airlines namaphepha afanayo nangayizolo. UPaul uyaqiniseka ukuthi uSheila unakho okudingekayo ukuze athathe uhambo oluphumelelayo lokuya eMexico.
Kulokhu kuhluke ngokuphelele. Badlulisela amaphepha kubasebenzi beSpirit Airlines, futhi umbhangqwana wathola amapasi abo okugibela ngaphandle kokulibala.
Ngemva kwamahora, izikhulu zezokufika zaseMexico zagxiviza ipasipoti kaSheila, futhi ngokushesha lo mbhangqwana wagcina ujabulela ama-cocktail olwandle. Lapho abakwaBergara ekugcineni befika eMexico, uhambo lwabo lwalungenazihibe futhi lujabulisa (okuyinto, ngokusho kukaPaul, yabathethelela).
Lapho lo mbhangqwana ubuya eholidini, uPaul wayezimisele ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi ingxabano efanayo ayenzeki kunoma yimuphi omunye umuntu onamakhadi aluhlaza.
After submitting his complaint to United Airlines and not receiving confirmation that she made a mistake, Paul sent his story to tip@thepointsguy.com and asked for help. In no time, his disturbing story arrived in my inbox.
Lapho ngifunda ukulandisa kukaPaul ngalokho okwenzeka kulo mbhangqwana, ngaphatheka kabi ngalokho owawudlule kukho.
Kodwa-ke ngiyasola nokuthi i-United ayenzanga lutho olubi ngokwenqaba uSheila ukuya eMexico nekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi.
Eminyakeni edlule, ngiye ngasingatha izinkulungwane zezikhalazo zabathengi. Iphesenti elikhulu lalezi zimo libandakanya abahambi abadidwa izimfuneko zokuhamba nezokungena ezindaweni zaphesheya kwezilwandle. Lokhu akukaze kube yiqiniso ngesikhathi sobhadane. Eqinisweni, amaholide abahambi bamazwe aphesheya abanamakhono aphezulu nabanolwazi abonakaliswe yisiphithiphithi, esishintsha ngokushesha imikhawulo yokuhamba ebangelwe yi-coronavirus.
Nokho, lolu bhubhane aluyona imbangela yesimo sikaPaul noSheila. Ukungaphumeleli kwaleli holide kwabangelwa ukungaqondi kahle kwemithetho yohambo eyinkimbinkimbi yezakhamuzi zaphakade zase-United States.
Ngibuyekeze ulwazi lwamanje oluhlinzekwe yinxusa lase-Mexico futhi ngahlola kabili lokho engikholelwa ukuthi kwakunjalo.
Izindaba ezimbi ku-Paul: I-Mexico ayilamukeli Ifomu I-797 njengedokhumenti yokuhamba evumelekile. U-Sheila ubehamba nekhadi eliluhlaza elingavumelekile kanye nepasipoti yasePhilippines engenawo i-visa.
I-United Airlines yenza okufanele ngokumnqabela ukugibela endizeni eya eMexico.
Abanikazi bamakhadi aluhlaza akufanele bathembele kudokhumenti ye-I-797 ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi bahlala e-US kwelinye izwe. Leli fomu lisetshenziswa yizikhulu ze-US Immigration futhi livumela abanikazi bamakhadi aluhlaza ukuthi babuyele ekhaya. Kepha akekho omunye uhulumeni odingekayo ukuthi amukele isandiso se-I-797 njengobufakazi bokuhlala e-US — cishe ngeke bavume.
Eqinisweni, i-consulate yaseMexico yasho ngokucacile ukuthi eFomu I-797 enekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi, ukungena ezweni akuvunyelwe, futhi ipasipoti nekhadi eliluhlaza lomhlali unomphela kufanele kuphelelwe yisikhathi:
Ngahlanganyela lolu lwazi noPaul, ngiveza ukuthi uma i-United Airlines ivumela uSheila ukuba agibele indiza futhi enqatshelwe ukungena, basengozini yokuhlawuliswa. Wahlola isimemezelo senxusa, kodwa wangikhumbuza ukuthi iSpirit Airlines ayizange ithole inkinga ngamaphepha kaSheila noma izikhulu zabokufika eCancun.
Izikhulu zezokufika ziyakwazi ukuguquguquka okuthile ekunqumeni ukuthi ziyakuvumela yini izivakashi ukungena ezweni. U-Sheila ubenganqatshelwa kalula, avalelwe, futhi abuyiselwe e-US endizeni elandelayo etholakalayo. (Ngibike izehlakalo eziningi zabahambi abanezincwadi zokuhamba ezinganele ababoshiwe base bebuyela ngokushesha lapho bebesuka khona. Bekuyisenzakalo esikhungathekisa kakhulu.)
Ngokushesha ngathola impendulo yokugcina uPaul ayeyifuna, futhi wayefuna ukwabelana ngayo nabanye ukuze bangagcini besesimweni esifanayo.
Inxusa laseCancun liyaqinisekisa: “Ngokuvamile, izakhamuzi zase-US ezivakashela ezweni laseMexico kufanele zibe nepasipoti evumelekile (izwe lendabuko) kanye nekhadi eliluhlaza le-LPR elivumelekile eline-visa yase-US.”
U-Sheila wayengafaka isicelo se-visa yaseMexico, ngokuvamile ethatha izinsuku eziyi-10 kuye kweziyi-14 ukuze agunyazwe, futhi mhlawumbe ngabe wafika ngaphandle kwesigameko. Kodwa ikhadi eliluhlaza le-I-797 eliphelelwe yisikhathi aliphoqelekile ku-United Airlines.
Ukuze athole ukuthula kwengqondo, ngiphakamisa ukuthi uPaul asebenzise ipasipoti yomuntu siqu yamahhala, i-visa, kanye nesheke lezokwelapha le-IATA futhi abone ukuthi lithini ngoSheila ekwazi ukuya eMexico ngaphandle kwe-visa.
Inguqulo yobungcweti yaleli thuluzi (i-Timatic) isetshenziswa izindiza eziningi lapho zingena ukuze ziqinisekise ukuthi abagibeli bazo banamadokhumenti abawadingayo ukuze bagibele indiza. Kodwa-ke, abahambi bangakwazi futhi kufanele basebenzise inguqulo yamahhala isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuya esikhumulweni sezindiza ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi abageji imibhalo ebalulekile yokuhamba.
Lapho uPaul enezela yonke imininingwane yomuntu siqu kaSheila, uTimatic wathola impendulo eyasiza umbhangqwana ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezedlule futhi yawulondoloza cishe u-$3,000: USheila wayedinga i-visa ukuze aye eMexico.
Ngenhlanhla yakhe, isikhulu sezokufika eCancun samvumela ukuthi angene ngaphandle kwezinkinga. Njengoba ngifundile emacaleni amaningi engiwahlanganise, ukunqatshelwa ukugibela indiza eya lapho uya khona kuyakhathaza. Nokho, kubi kakhulu ukuboshwa ngobusuku obubodwa futhi uphindiselwe ezweni lakini ngaphandle kwesinxephezelo nangaphandle kwekhefu.
Ekugcineni, uPaul wajabula ngomyalezo ocacile owatholwa umbhangqwana wokuthi cishe uSheila wayezothola ikhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi maduze. Njengazo zonke izinqubo zikahulumeni phakathi nobhubhane, abafakizicelo abalinde ukubuyekeza imibhalo yabo kufanele bathole ukubambezeleka.
Kodwa manje sekuyacaca kulo mbhangqwana ukuthi uma unquma ukuya phesheya futhi ngesikhathi usalindile, uSheila ngeke neze athembele eFomu I-797 njengencwadi yakhe yokuhamba.
Ukuba nekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi kwenza kube nzima ukuzulazula emhlabeni. Abahambi abazama ukugibela indiza yamazwe ngamazwe abanekhadi eliluhlaza eliphelelwe yisikhathi bangase babe nobunzima ngesikhathi sokuhamba nokufika.
Ikhadi eliluhlaza elivumelekile yilelo elingakaphelelwa yisikhathi. Abanikazi bamakhadi aluhlaza aphelelwe yisikhathi abalahlekelwa ngokuzenzakalelayo isimo sokuhlala unomphela, kodwa ukuzama ukuya phesheya ngenkathi besesifundazweni kuyingozi kakhulu.
I-Green Card ephelelwe yisikhathi ayiyona nje idokhumenti evumelekile yokungena emazweni amaningi angaphandle, kodwa futhi eyokungena kabusha e-United States. Abanikazi bamakhadi aluhlaza kufanele bakukhumbule lokhu njengoba amakhadi abo asezophelelwa yisikhathi.
Uma ikhadi lomnikazi wekhadi liphelelwa yisikhathi ngenkathi bephesheya, bangase babe nobunzima bokugibela indiza, ukungena noma ukuphuma ezweni. Kungcono ukufaka isicelo sokuvuselela ngaphambi kosuku lokuphelelwa yisikhathi. Izakhamuzi unomphela zingaqala inqubo yokuvuselela kuze kufike ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngaphambi kosuku lwangempela lokuphelelwa yisikhathi kwekhadi. (Qaphela: Izakhamuzi ezihlala unomphela ezinemibandela zinezinsuku ezingu-90 ngaphambi kokuphelelwa yisikhathi kwekhadi labo eliluhlaza ukuze ziqale inqubo.)
Isikhathi sokuthumela: Jan-09-2023
