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Trip of a lifetime turned nightmare for Sydney couple ‘stranded by changed US travel laws’

A Sydney couple have told how they were “stranded” in a foreign country with no help from authorities and forced to forfeit a chunk of their holiday while caught up in changed US travel conditions.

Renate and David Sciberras said they were left in tears, thousands of dollars out of pocket and with many questions when David was denied re-entry into the US days after being let through the first time without issue.

“What started as a trip of a lifetime has turned into a nightmare,” Mrs Sciberras told 7 News Online, after returning to Sydney two weeks earlier than planned.

The couple enjoyed a holiday in Toronto, Canada before they were blocked from re-entering the US. Picture: Supplied
The couple enjoyed a holiday in Toronto, Canada before they were blocked from re-entering the US. Picture: Supplied

After arriving in LA on March 28, the Aussies spent two-weeks travelling along the US west coast before flying to Toronto, Canada, then exploring the country for next six days, ending at Montreal.

From there, they planned to continue down the east coast of America from New York to Miami, where they had pre-paid accommodation and activities including a baseball game and a seven-day Caribbean cruise.

But Mr Sciberras, travelling on an Australia passport, was stopped at Montreal and denied re-entry to the US.

“We saved for a year and planned in that same year a trip of a lifetime – or what we thought,” Mrs Sciberras said.

“We lost over $10,000 in travel expenses and our travel insurance won't cover it because it states in the policy that they don't cover border or customs refusal or delays.

“We are now under so much stress as we are in debt on our credit card and have nothing to show for it.

"I've cried every day since being denied at the airport, not sleeping, and just in shock as to why this happened to us.”

She said the couple applied for their Electronic System Travel Authorization (ESTA) last November and were both approved at the same time and had no trouble entering the US earlier this month, but were stopped re-entering after a week in Canada.

Renate and David Sciberras said they were thousands of dollars out of pocket after being denied re-entry into the US days after being let through without issue. Picture: Supplied
Renate and David Sciberras said they were thousands of dollars out of pocket after being denied re-entry into the US days after being let through without issue. Picture: Supplied

“We arrived at Montreal airport to board our next flight to Pennsylvania, America, and when we handed our passport over to get our boarding pass the lady told us there was a problem with my husband’s ESTA,” Mrs Scibberas said.

“They took us to a room with a computer and we got on the ESTA website and were shocked to see that they cancelled his ESTA on the 1st of April while we were still in The States - only four days after we arrived.

The couple were left confused by what might be the problem. Mr Sciberras is an Australian citizen who was born in Malta and emigrated to Australia when he was 18 months old.

“My husband has no criminal record and only has an Australian passport,” she added.

The couple was unable to access their upgraded return flight home, because it departed from Miami and the Aussies were not allowed to transit into the US, Mrs Sciberras said.

“I looked on one of the US department websites and saw that Trump had passed new legislation giving Border Security more power to deny entry. This legislation was bought in on the 31st of March – three days after our arrival and on the 1st of April.”

The airline staff told the couple to go to the US Embassy in Montreal to sort out Mr Sciberras’ visa, but once there, they said they were given phone numbers to call contacts at the Embassy and Customs themselves.

“We have each other, which is the main thing, but we are still feeling very alone,’ Mrs Sciberras wrote from Canada on Friday, before flying home. Picture: Supplied
“We have each other, which is the main thing, but we are still feeling very alone,’ Mrs Sciberras wrote from Canada on Friday, before flying home. Picture: Supplied

“We rang customs and told them what had happened and they said to ring the embassy and get a DS160 visa. We rang the embassy and they told us we have to apply online.”

The Aussies said they spent about five hours at the coffee shop on Mrs Sciberras’ mobile phone, filling out the visa application, which required a passport-style photo.

“I was beside myself and could barely concentrate,” she recalled.

After completing the application they said they called the US Embassy again and were told to register online for an appointment, but were told the next available time wasn’t until two days before their US flight home to Australia.

“We told them what had happened and asked them why they had cancelled it and they said we would have to ring to customs to find out. So we rang customs again and the guy that answered said it was above his pay grade and couldn't tell us why.

“We tried ringing every department and embassy including Australia to get an answer and get us in the next flight. No one could help us.”

Australian friends even tried contacting their local member who then rang the office of Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop. Their travel agent suggested calling the US Department of Homeland Security, but nobody could help.

Mrs Sciberras said every person she spoke to told her they had never heard of anyone’s visa being cancelled while already in the US.

Trump orders review of US visa program. Picture: AAP
Trump orders review of US visa program. Picture: AAP

“The Australian Embassy said they couldn't help us because they don't get involved in other countries’ border security, and [suggested] to ring the US Embassy again. We were going around in circles getting recorded messages, not being able to speak to a real person.

“We were beside ourselves and couldn't believe no one was helping us. We were now stranded in Canada and didn't know what to do.”

After a sleepless night in the cheapest hotel they could find, Mr and Mrs Sciberras said they had no choice but to forfeit their cruise and the final leg of their US holiday, and shell out another $3500 for new flights home through Canada.

“We have each other, which is the main thing, but we are still feeling very alone,” Mrs Sciberras wrote from Canada last Friday, before flying home.

The pair touched down in Sydney on Sunday, “home safe but worn down,” she updated on Facebook.

“Don't know if we are happy to be back or not. Mixed emotions.”

“We are angry and confused and in shock still,” she told 7 News Online.

The pair touched down in Sydney on Sunday, but missed out on their Caribbean cruise and seeing the US west coast. Picture: Supplied
The pair touched down in Sydney on Sunday, but missed out on their Caribbean cruise and seeing the US west coast. Picture: Supplied

"We have traveled to Europe a couple of times in the last six years and never had anything like this happen to us. We haven't been to any black list countries."

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) could not comment on the Sciberras’ alleged US travel ban, and told 7 News Online it could not obtain visas or intervene in immigration, customs or quarantine matters in other countries.

“Visa and other entry and exit conditions can change at short notice,” A DFAT spokesperson said.

“Travellers who are concerned that they may be affected by new measures should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of the United States for current information, or their airline to confirm uplift policy.

“Consular assistance is available to Australians overseas in a range of circumstances, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter,” the spokesperson said.

Newsbreak – April 28